Bible League Quarterly

January - March 2013

Issue no. 452 The Bible League Trust Registered Charity No. 281867 | Instituted May 3rd 1892

Object of the Bible League

To promote the reverent study of the Holy Scriptures and to resist the varied attacks upon their inspiration, infallibility and sole suﬃciency as the Word of God.

Website: www.bibleleaguetrust.org

The Trustees

Chairman of the Trust: Malcolm H Watts Editor of the Quarterly: John P Thackway Other council members: David J Butler, Francis J Harris, Aaron J Lewis, Pooyan Mehrshahi, David Oldham, Neil Pfeiﬀer, Stephen A Toms, Thomas R. Yates

Contact our Secretary

Mrs Ruth Ward, 46 Bulbrige Road, Wilton, Salisbury SP2 0LE Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01722 742270

Contact our Editor

Rev. John Thackway, Fairlea, From Park Road, Holywell CH8 7SP Email: [email protected] Telephone: 01352 714879

Subscriptions

The annual subscription to the Quarterly is £8 in the UK and £12.50 overseas, including postage of the four issues each year. You can subscribe online to our Quarterly here.

We thank all our subscribers for their generous ﬁnancial support, particularly friends who send more than their subscription in the form of donations. The latter can be Gift Aided - please contact our secretary for a declaration form. Such gifts enable us to continue publishing the Quarterly and our other literature, which is so needed in these days. In this Issue

WHAT VARIOUS HINDRANCES WE MEET… 4

MEDITATION: A HELP TO PRAYER 11

THE RIGHT DIRECTION? 12

BELIEVERS DAILY REMEMBRANCER 32

THE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE EPISTLES 33

SHADOWS OF HEAVENLY THINGS 1 35

WESTMINSTER REFERENCE BIBLE 38

TRINITARIAN BIBLE SOCIETY 43

BIBLE LEAGUE MEETINGS 44 WHAT VARIOUS HINDRANCES WE MEET… A word for 2013

J.P. Thackway

“But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” Exodus 17:12

This chapter of Exodus ﬁnds God’s people continuing their journey to Canaan, the Promised Land. The next stop on route is a place called Rephidim (verse 1), which means “rest.” The weary travellers hoped for that, and for water. However, “there was no water for the people to drink” (verse 1b). The streams had dried up, thirst could not be quenched, and they facedTo be concluded) such meaning.’say, "s ill do waht nd unity of the church. y. parts of epistles. No problem to a born-again Ch a crisis.

Promised

The Lord promised to bring His people to Canaan (Exodus 3:8), but He had not promised a journey there free of diﬃculties. However, within that promise lay the certainty of His presence and provision. And it is so for Christians – we are not promised an easy path to heaven, but since we are promised heaven, it includes everything necessary on the way. As Dr. Ryland put it,

He that hath made my heaven secure Will here all good provide.

Therefore, every such need tests our faith in God. The Lord reminded the Israelites of this years afterwards,

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2). Revealing

Here, it proved revealing, with another bout of complaining: “And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured...” (Exodus 17:3). Instead of looking to the Lord in this new emergency, they found fault with His dealings. We never know ourselves until the Lord shows us what is in our hearts. Then we know where we need more grace.

However, as always, the Lord already had the solution,

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel (Exodus 17:6).

It was a miracle. Water came from the most unlikely of places: the dry, ﬂinty rock. The greater the need, the greater the glory to God when He meets that need.

However, no sooner is this emergency met than another comes: an attack from the Amalekites, “Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim” (verse 8). It is often like this: not one trial but often two, sometimes even three at a time. How else can the Lord truly exercise and prove us?

Prayer

If the water-shortage called for faith in God, this new emergency called for prayer. It also teaches us about the use of means. As Joseph Hall put it: “Then only we can pray with hope, when we have done our best ... And though the means cannot eﬀect that which we desire, yet God will have us use the likeliest means, on our part, to eﬀect it ... In vain shall Moses be upon the hill, if Joshua be not in the valley. Prayer without means is a mockery of God.” But prayer there was, and it proved the more potent weapon. As John Trapp put it, “The push of Moses’ prayers did more than the pikes of all Israel besides.”

However, Moses’ intercession was not constant, it ﬂagged and needed help.

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Exodus 17:11).

Clearly the outcome depended upon prayer. To maintain this intercession was vital. We do not read that Joshua needed help, but Moses in prayer did. The emphasis is on persevering prayer: “Moses hands were steady.” That won the day. Here is an important lesson for us. To pray is hard, but perseveringly to pray is harder still. However, verses 12,13 tell us that Moses was wonderfully upheld - and the battle was won,

But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomforted Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.

Equivalent

What is the equivalent help for us? Moses’ support was for his weak legs and weary arms: the stone on which he sat, and the two men who held up his arms. The “stone” can represent the promises God has given us concerning prayer. We lean the weight of our need upon these and they support us. “Aaron” is the High Priest of Israel, and the type our Great High Priest in heaven. “Hur” can stand for the Spirit of Christ, the Comforter in our hearts who strengthens our prayers.

Let us see the event in this light, and see how it applies to our prayers.

1. Our Help

Verse 12 “a stone” ... “Aaron and Hur.”

1] God’s Promises. The stone supporting Moses’ weight illustrates how divine promises help our prayers. For God in His promises shows His goodwill toward us when we draw near to Him. For instance, consider these:

Psalm 73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

Asaph confesses he is always in God’s presence - so close that his hand is held. Preserving grace kept him close, even while he was disillusioned over the prosperity of the wicked. Now he sees more clearly the love “that wilt not let me go.” This is our promise too – that we are always in His presence, we can turn to Him at any time, and He who holds our right hand (Isaiah 41:13) will hear our prayers. Psalm 65:2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all ﬂesh come.

This truth is like an attribute of God: He hears prayer. It means that when we draw near to pray, He is already listening. “While they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

Song 2:14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

Here our Lord actually asks us to pray to Him, that He may have the pleasure of our company and voice! What greater incentive to prayer can there be than this?

Such promises – and there are many others – support us. Let not the legs of our prayers bend as we sit down on these.

2] God’s provision.

Aaron and Hur show two other ways the Lord helps us in prayer. a] His ministering presence in heaven. With Aaron, we think of Hebrews 4:14 “we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.” We need the assurance that our prayers reach the throne of God. They do, through this Mediator whom God has provided.

Hebrews 9:24 tells us that He is in heaven, “there to appear in the presence of God for us.” Our Lord in the court of heaven is not just our Friend but also our Surety, who has discharged all our debts and fulﬁlled all our obligations. This is what He represents to the Father on our behalf. “Appear” means to manifest to the sight – He demonstrates these things to God’s satisfaction just by being there!

This has a twofold eﬀect upon our prayers. i] The sin in our prayers is taken away. Again in type, we read that Aaron’s mediation was to “bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts” (Exodus 28:38). This comforts us greatly, because we know that, at best, our prayers are thoroughly unworthy. However, that is removed by the atonement of Him who gives them in to the Father for us. ii] The necessary perfection is on our prayers. His good name in heaven, representing His righteousness, is our guarantee that our prayers will be “acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). When we pray in His name, it is as if our Lord says, “Yes, hear this, my Father, for my sake” (cf John 11:42). This perfecting our prayers is our Lord adding “much incense, that he should oﬀer it with the prayers of all saints ... And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God” (Revelation 8:3,4).

We are often discouraged with our prayers, we grow weary and flag. Instead of prevailing in prayer, we are prevailed upon and we “lift up holy hands with ... doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). Yet if we could see those prayers by the time they reach our Father, through Christ, we would not recognise them. We would be astonished at how cleansed and perfect they are! Keep your dear Redeemer in view as you pray to God. Believe that your prayers speed well to the throne by Him. In this way, one “arm” of our praying is held up and we can prevail! b] His strengthening presence in our souls. This is by the Comforter. Our Lord in His glorified manhood is in heaven for us, but in His divine presence through the Spirit He indwells us. Paul could write in Romans 8:9 that Christians have “the Spirit of Christ” and in verse 10 that “Christ be in you.” The indwelling Comforter is the way in which our Lord is now with us (John 14:17,18). And some of that comforting ministry is to help our praying. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26).

Therefore, like Hur on the other side of Moses holding up his arm, the Spirit supports us in prayer. He enlightens us and enlivens us, bringing to our hearts the truth of Christ our Mediator, and the certainty that our prayers reach the throne through Him. He also enables us to pray – suggesting things to say and words with which to say them. He draws us out, warms our heart, makes us feel God’s love. So that, as Jude writes, we are “praying in the Holy Ghost” (verse 20). As we begin to pray, He begins to help us and the second “arm” of our praying is held steady.

We have here then, a twofold help: up in heaven, and in our hearts. Our Lord is at our Father’s right hand, and at our right hand. Within the veil, and within our hearts. As the hymn concerning the Holy Spirit puts it,

Christ is our Advocate on high; Thou art our Advocate within. This can wonderfully sustain our praying. Look to your Great High Priest, and to your gracious Comforter.

2. Our Prayers

Verse 12 “and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” Let us see our prayers in the light of this encouragement.

1] Our secret prayer. One proof of real religion is that we have times of daily, secret prayer. Our Lord says, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:6). It is one thing to follow the minister’s prayers in church, or to follow grace before meals – but do we pray on our own when no one else is there but the Lord? Here is the proof of real religion – a prayer life of one’s own.

If we have this, then we shall want to be sustained in prayer daily. And our “stone” – the promises; and our “Aaron” – the Mediator, and our “Hur” – the Comforter will be our help. A merciful Father who waits to hear us, a mediating Christ who never tires of treating for us, and a ministering Spirit who never wearies of helping us – the Trinity is for us in prayer. “For through him (Christ) we ... have access by one Spirit unto the Father” (Ephesians 2:18).

2] Daily prayer for something or someone. While the Lord is pleased to quickly answer our “everyday” prayers, some requests have answers that are more long-term. Such as someone’s conversion, an intractable situation, the Lord’s work, reformation and reviving grace to the Church, etc. For these, we set ourselves to ask every day, more than once a day. It is hard to keep fresh and zealous in such intercession. However, the command is, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance” (Ephesians 6:18). And we can continue steadily as we are divinely supported in the ways we have seen.

3] All the way to heaven. “Until the going down of the sun.” At conversion, we enter God’s grace in Christ by prayer. And we live by prayer – and we continue by it until the end. We may as well cease breathing as cease praying: being alive through the new birth, we cannot cease to pray. This we will do until life’s little day ends and our sun goes down. Then the everlasting day dawns and we are in the place where there is no need of the sun, “for the glory of God (lightens) it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” (Revelation 21:23). Every prayer will then have been heard, and every victory won. We shall be at home with the Lord forever – where prayer is swallowed up by everlasting praise.

May this New Year of 2013 be marked by praying that is more “steady”, persevering, and fruitful. Then we shall know by experience what William Cowper meant,

What various hindrances we meet In coming to the mercy-seat? Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, But wishes to be often there.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide, Success was found on Israel’s side; But when through weariness they failed, That moment Amalek prevailed.

O Lord, increase our faith and love, That we may all thy goodness prove, And gain from thy exhaustless store The fruits of prayer for evermore. MEDITATION: A HELP TO PRAYER

Thomas Watson

While I was musing the ﬁre burned (Psalm 39:3)

What a blessed (shall I say duty or) privilege) is prayer! Now meditation is a help to prayer. Gersom calls it the nurse of prayer. Meditation is like oil to the lamp; the lamp of prayer will soon go out unless meditation cherish and support it. Meditation and prayer are like two turtles, if you separate one the other dies. A cunning angler observes the time and season when the fish bite best, and then he throws in the angle; so when the heart is warmed by meditation, now is the best season to throw in the angle of prayer, and fish for mercy. After Isaac had been in the field meditating he was fit for prayer when he came home (Genesis 24:63). When the gun is full of powder it is fittest to discharge. So when the mind is full of good thoughts, a Christian is fittest by prayer for discharge; now he sends up whole volleys of sighs and groans to heaven.

Meditation hath a double benefit in it, it pours in and pours out; first it pours good thoughts into the mind, and then it pours out those thoughts again into prayer; meditation first furnishes with matter to pray and then it furnishes with a heart to pray. “I was musing,” saith David, and the very next words are a prayer, “Lord, make me to know mine end.” I muse on the works of thy hands, I stretch forth my hands to thee. The musing of his head made way for the stretching forth of his hands in prayer. When Christ was upon the Mount, then he prayed: so when the soul is upon the mount of meditation, now it is in tune for prayer. Prayer is the child of meditation: meditation leads the van, and prayer brings up the rear.

“The fire burned.” Meditate so long till thou findest thy heart grow warm in this duty. If, when a man is cold you ask how long he should stand by the fire? sure, till he be thoroughly warm, and made fit for his work. So, Christian, thy heart is cold; never a day, no, not the hottest day in summer, but it freezes there; now stand at the fire of meditation till thou findest thy affections warmed, and thou art made fit for spiritual service. David mused till his heart waxed hot within him. I will conclude this with that excellent saying of Bernard: “Lord, I will never come away from thee without thee.” Let this be a Christian’s resolution, not to leave off his meditations of God till he find something of God in him; some moving of the bowels after God; some flamings of love (Song of Solomon 5:4). THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

An examination of where the New Evangelical policy of no separation from those associated with error and apostasy has led the theological college WEST.

R. E. Palgrave

This article can also be found on the Bible League Quarterly website: http://www.bibleleaguetrust.org for easier access to the links referenced in this document.

It was the policy of the British Evangelical Council (BEC) and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones not to engage in church-level fellowship with evangelicals remaining in the ‘mixed denominations.’ 1Individual churches, evangelical or otherwise, in denominations belonging to the World Council of Churches (WCC) were excluded from membership of the BEC. The BEC Oﬃcial Statement: Attitude to Ecumenicity2 was clear on its policy that it would not accept into membership churches belonging to the Ecumenical Movement as to do so would compromise the Gospel and blur the distinction between truth and error.3

In 2004 the BEC became Affinity and its new ‘Director,’ Jonathan Stephen, made it clear that he intended to ‘develop the Anglican dimension’ within Affinity4. This has resulted in Affinity taking churches into membership which belong to the Church of England. Furthermore, churches belonging to other mixed denominations, such as the Baptist Union, have been permitted to join Affinity5. In addition to his position as ‘Director’ of Affinity, Jonathan Stephen became the Principal of Wales Evangelical School of Theology (WEST) in 2006.6

1 The term ‘mixed denominations’ refers to denominations that are largely teaching error but where a number of evangelicals choose to remain.

2 British Evangelical Council Oﬃcial Statement: Attitude to Ecumenicity (BEC Newsletter, June, 1968).

3 See R. E. Palgrave They Have Forgotten… (Unity in Truth Literature, 2012). Tel: 07967 118852 or email [email protected]

4 Jonathan Stephen speaking at the launch of Aﬃnity as reported in the article entitled To Aﬃnity and Beyond by John Benton (Evangelicals Now, May, 2004).

5 Aﬃnity (Issue 6, 2006, No.2).

6 http://www.west.org.uk/About-Us/History WEST is a theological college in South Wales for those entering the Christian ministry. As stated on the history pages of the WEST website,7 it began in 1936 as the Barry School of Evangelism or Barry Bible College and was evangelical in its theology. In the 1960s Rev. John Waite became the Principal and the College became Reformed. In 1985 the College became known as the Evangelical Theological College of Wales (ETCW) and Dr. Eryl Davies became the Principal. Under Dr. Eryl Davies the College introduced degrees validated by secular universities. In 2005 Dr. Davies stepped down as Principal but he continues to take an active role in the College as Research Supervisor. In appointing Jonathan Stephen as Principal the College willingly opened the door to his non-separating policies. His views were known to the College because of his proposed Essentially Evangelical8 organisation and the direction in which he had publically conﬁrmed that he would take Aﬃnity.9

In a leaﬂet produced by Wales Evangelical School of Theology (WEST) entitled The Right Direction Jonathan Stephen made the following statement:

‘I rejoice in the increasing partnership between Reformed Anglican and Free churches and, as Director of Aﬃnity, will continue to promote it. But if biblical non-conformity should short-sightedly refuse to support and invest in its own training institutions, then it will soon discover that it has colluded in its own demise.’ 10

As this article will show, however, it is the New Evangelical, unbiblical and non-separatist organisations that are prepared to associate with error and apostasy, which are colluding in their own spiritual demise and, sadly, the spiritual demise of all who blindly follow them.

WEST’S ALLIANCE WITH THE SARANG COMMUNITY CHURCH

SaRang Community Church is a Presbyterian Church in Seoul, Korea, with about 80,000 members.11 It was founded in 1978 by Pastor Han Hum Oak. In 2003 Pastor Oak announced

7 Ibid.

8 Essentially Evangelical was Jonathan Stephen’s proposed network of Free Church and Anglican Christians together. See Rev. Geoﬀ Thomas’ article: http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php? 646

9 John Benton To Aﬃnity and Beyond (Evangelicals Now, May, 2004).

10 This quotation from Jonathan Stephen also appears on the WEST website http://www.west.org.uk/Home/ Why-WEST

11 http://english.sarang.org/ (‘History’ page). According to the SaRang Church website the 80,000 members consist of 9,000 children, 31,000 young adults and 40,000 adults. his retirement and named Jung-Hyun Oh as the new pastor.12 Pastor Oh13 has been described as ‘a very distinguished missions strategist and administrator.’14

As Jonathan Stephen reported in Evangelicals Now15, links were established in 2007 between WEST and the SaRang Community Church through one of WEST’s Korean students. The SaRang megachurch was eager to extend its mission to Europe and had an interest in Wales due to the fact that the Welshman Robert Jermain Thomas (1839-1866) was one of the early Christian missionaries to Korea. Furthermore, the WEST Council saw that the Korean megachurch could provide the ﬁnancial help they required:

‘They realised that they themselves were not in a position to project the School to the next level — to build the internationally recognised centre for theological learning and training for ministry they were praying for. They saw that SaRang were prepared to invest substantially in the School and could secure its development. They understood that good stewardship on SaRang’s part demanded that they should acquire a large stake in the formation of a new Board. They agreed that the baton needed to be passed on.’16

When a church or Christian organisation contemplates a possible future partnership with other churches or groups, it is vital that they thoroughly examine the theology and practice of potential partners to ensure that they are Biblically sound and are not involved in any sort of spiritual compromise. As we shall see, long before 2007 the SaRang Community Church had links with both the Charismatic/mystical occult teacher Paul (David) Yonggi Cho and Rick Warren, author of the famous bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life. Tragically, however, the partnership went ahead.

According to the Evangelicals Now article referred to above, in October 2008 Jonathan Stephen and Peter Milsom, the WEST Council Chairman (and current Director of Aﬃnity),

12 See Wikipedia and the SaRang Church website: http://english.sarang.org/

13 Pastor Jung-Hyun Oh is referred to as ‘Pastor John Oh’ by Jonathan Stephen.

14 Joining the Holy Spirit Movement with Discipleship Training http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/news-event/ 2001-06-16-2.asp

15 Jonathan Stephen East Meets WEST (Evangelicals Now, May 2011). http://e-n.org.uk/p-5454-East-meets- WEST.htm

16 Ibid. 17attended the 30th anniversary celebrations of SaRang. Further negotiations then took place in spite of diﬃculties which were arising in Seoul relating to a controversial building project that the megachurch was undertaking.18 Jonathan Stephen reported that at the end of February 2011:

‘Peter [Milsom], Sungho19 and I returned to Seoul — together this time with Graham John, a longstanding Council member who is continuing on the new Board — for the formal signing of the papers that would seal our gospel partnership.’20

Following the alliance with SaRang, Pastor Oh took over as the new Chancellor of WEST, replacing Peter Milsom.21 According to a letter from the WEST Chairman22 and published company information,23 the new WEST board consists of the following members: Rev. Sam Ko24 (Chairman of the Board), Mr. Chul Ki Ju25, Mr. Hee Keun Kang26, Rev. Myung-Ho Kim27,

17 Rev. Peter Milsom has continued Affinity along the same lines as Jonathan Stephen. ‘…we do not require a church to have actually seceded from their denomination in order to join Affinity. We recognize that some churches believe that they should continue to witness actively to the truth within their denominations…’ http://exiledpreacher.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/interview-with-affinity-director-peter.html

18 Church Proceeds With Construction Despite Controversy (Korea Times, 20th January, 2010). http:// www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2011/04/135_59372.html

19 Sungho Choi was a Korean PhD student studying at WEST in 2007.

20 Jonathan Stephen, op. cit. (See picture at: http://news.sarang.org/unron/unron_view.asp? db_idx=1482§ion=W007).

21 Ibid.

22 http://www.west.org.uk/LinkClick.aspx?ﬁleticket=lzwyGV8e9kk%3D&tabid=40 The WEST Chairman’s letter names Rev. David Seung Kwan Yoo, a Mission Pastor of SaRang Community Church and Member of the Strategic Working Group of the Lausanne Movement, as a Board member, but his appointment was terminated in June 2012. Mr Lindsay Brown was appointed a few days later. This information was obtained from Companies House: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/

23 Dellam Corporate Information Ltd. http://www.dellam.com/01987227- WALES%20EVANGELICAL%20SCHOOL%20OF%20THEOLOGY%20LTD.html

24 Director of Global Ministries at SaRang Community Church and Board member of the Korea-China Cultural Foundation.

25 Former South Korean Ambassador to France and Vice President and Secretary General of Global Compact Korea Network.

26 Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics and Board of Trustees at Sungkyunkwan University Foundation.

27 CEO of Disciple Making Ministries International and President of Christianity Today, Korea. Mrs. Sung-Joo,28 Kim, Rev. Graham John,29 Mr. John Stevens,30 Dr. John Temple,31 Mr. Wyn Thomas,32 and Mr Lindsay Brown, International Director of the Lausanne Movement. It is surprising that the College should wish to associate with the Lausanne Movement as it is ecumenically compromised. At the Third Lausanne Congress in 2010, for example, the head of the World Council of Churches33 was invited to address the Congress.34

SARANG’S RELATIONS WITH DAVID YONGGI CHO

David (formerly Paul) Yonggi Cho35 is one of the most influential Charismatic preachers alive today, and Emeritus Pastor (formerly Senior Pastor) of the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul, the world’s largest church with about a million members. He claims that he received the call to preach directly from Jesus Christ, who he says appeared to him dressed like a fireman. 36David Yonggi Cho emphasises the gift of tongues, divine healing and the importance of the ‘cell-group ministry,’ for which he has appointed 50,000 leaders, 47,000 of them being female,37 contrary to the teaching in 1 Timothy 2. He is a proponent of the influential

28 Chairperson of MCM and Sungjoo Group International, and Board member of World Vision.

29 Pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Swansea, and Former Secretary of the Associating Evangelical Churches of Wales (AECW).

30 Director of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) and law lecturer for 20 years.

31 Former Chief Executive of the Plessey Corporation and author of three books, including Family Money Matters

32 Pro Vice-Chancellor of Bangor University and Elder and Church Secretary of Ebenezer Evangelical Church, Bangor.

33 The World Council of Churches (WCC) is an inter-church organization founded in 1948 arising from the Ecumenical Movement.

34 Dr. E. S. Williams Lausanne Not What It Should Be (English Churchman, 11th-18th February, 2011). http:// www.cofec.org/sermons/7812

35 Paul Yonggi Cho claims that God told him to change his name to David. (Paul Yonggi Cho interviewed by C. Peter Wagner, Yonggi Cho Changes His Name, (Charisma and Christian Life, Nov 1992, 80).

36 Dwight J. Wilson Cho, Paul Yonggi (Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, p.161).

37 Calvary Contender (Nov. 1, 1991). Charismatic Word-Faith38 New Age teaching which says that the believer is God and Christ 39 and that faith is a creative force that can be used to shape one’s own world, a common occult and New Age belief.40 He teaches that the ‘third dimension’ is the material world, while the ‘fourth dimension’ is the spiritual world, and that one can inﬂuence the third dimension. He states that ‘through visualization and dreaming you can incubate your future and hatch the results.’41 The Word-Faith Movement is underpinned by enormous amounts of money raised through promises of healing and prosperity.42

Dr. Peter Masters, pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, has issued this warning:

‘The religious disposition of the Koreans is both harnessed and exploited by the “Christianity” of Paul Yonggi Cho in his blatant mix of sorcery, mind-over-matter, self- interest, Sinkyo, Japanese Buddhism and Christianity. But to mix pagan ideas and practices with the pure religion of Christ is condemned in Scripture as the heinous sin of idolatry. It is a marriage of Christianity and the occult and is forbidden by Paul’s words – What communion hath light with darkness? And – What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? What has built the largest church in the world? The answer is, an idolatrous mixture of biblical teaching and pagan mind-techniques. God is deprived of His sovereignty in the believer’s aﬀairs, and the authority of Scripture is replaced by the authority of supposedly direct messages from God and the produce of the imagination. This is the kind of church which has moved hordes of impressionable Christian teachers the world over to jump on to the healing-prophesying bandwagon. We need to take very great care in these days.’43

38 Also referred to as Positive Confession or the Faith Movement. Other Word-Faith teachers include Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Paul Crouch, Joel Osteen and Rodney Howard-Browne, leader of the so-called ‘spirit’ drunken laughing revivals.

39 Kenneth Copeland, for example, stated: ‘You don’t have a god in you, you are one.’ The Force of Love (audiotape). See also Ray Yungen For Many Shall Come In My Name (Lighthouse Trails, 2007, pp.21-23).

40 David Cloud The New Age Tower of Babel (Way of Life Literature, 2008, p.384 & p.426) and Dave Hunt and T. A. McMahon The Seduction of Christianity: Spiritual Discernment in the Last Days (Harvest House Publishers, 1985, pp.12-14).

41 Dr. Paul Yonggi Cho The Fourth Dimension (Bridge Publishing, 1979, p.44).

42 David Cloud, op. cit., p.384.

43 Peter Masters Occult Healing Builds World’s Largest Church in The Healing Epidemic (The Wakeman Trust, 1988, pp.34-35). In May 2001 Pastor Oh was senior pastor of the Sarang Community Church which he pioneered in Los Angeles, California.44 He organised a Spiritual Renewal Conference which began with a meeting with Pastor Oh, Dr. Yonggi Cho and Rev. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, California, followed by several preaching rallies with Dr. Cho as the main speaker. Dr. Cho believes that threefold blessings are available for every believer: salvation of the soul, physical healing and prosperity.45 In this conference Cho’s preaching centred on his teaching that physical healing is available to every believer if they have enough faith. He told numerous healing stories46 and stated that:

‘To solve the problems of your life, you must repent of your sin…We have already been healed by Jesus Christ’s cruciﬁxion on the cross 2000 years ago. Satan occupies our bodies unlawfully. If we are afraid of the impossible, we cannot accomplish anything.’47

Dr. Yonggi Cho reported that Pastor Oh had decided that the main theme of this conference should be ‘Let us become a peace oﬀering.’48 Flyers of the event show a picture of Dr. Yonggi Cho preaching under the heading ‘Let us be a peace oﬀering! Revival 2001.’49 Was this a Biblical desire for unity in truth, or a desire for unity at the expense of the truth? Pastor Oh emphasised:

‘Korean churches are strong in Systematic Theology. This means that I am right; others are wrong. We are not of the same mind. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, I want the Korean ethnic churches to eliminate denominational barriers.’50

When we desire unity above truth it is inevitable that we will be inﬂuenced by associations with those teaching error. A report on this 2001 conference revealed that Dr. Cho’s teachings had caused Pastor Oh’s Presbyterian church to re-assess their views on the Holy

44 Pastor Oh emigrated from Korea to America in 1988. http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/news-event/ 2001-06-16-2.asp

45 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Yonggi_Cho

46 Vivid Experiences of Life and Death http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/news-event/2001-07-24-1.asp

47 Presbyterians Experience Full Gospel Reality http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/news-event/ 2001-06-16-1.asp

48 Joining the Holy Spirit Movement with Discipleship Training http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/news-event/ 2001-06-16-2.asp

49 Conference ﬂyer: http://davidcho.com/neweng/news-event/2001-05laproE.asp

50 Joining the Holy Spirit Movement with Discipleship Training http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/news- event/2001-06-16-2.asp Spirit.51 Certainly the inﬂuences of the Charismatic Movement can be seen today in both the Los Angeles Sarang Community Church and the Seoul SaRang Community Church where Pastor Oh is currently the minister.

When Rev. Sam Ko, (a member of the Seoul SaRang Community Church and the current Chairman of the WEST Board) came to preach at Mount Pleasant Church in Swansea he attended with a group of the SaRang Church members who were studying at WEST and invited them to sing some songs. They chose to sing the Charismatic songs Let it Rain and Our God is an Awesome God.

The song Let it Rain refers to the Charismatic longing for the heavens to open and for God to pour out His Holy Spirit in revival. The wording of the song is: ‘Let it rain, let it rain. Open the ﬂoodgates of Heaven.’ (The Korean WEST students sang this one line ﬁfteen times). However, the Charismatic Movement teaches that revival means ‘signs and wonders’ such as ‘tongues,’ dreams, visions, prophesying, and even ‘spirit slaying,’ uncontrollable jerking and spasms of the body, shaking and ‘holy laughter.’52 Although a spirit may well be involved,53 the Bible does not teach that the Holy Spirit causes these phenomena.54

The Let it Rain song is part the album Come Away by the contemporary ‘Christian’ band Jesus Culture. This band has said that its aim is to create an atmosphere by its music whereby people can encounter the presence of God and experience the signs mentioned above. As is common in the genre of Contemporary Christian Music,55 the band members say that this is what their music encourages and explain that they want their worship events to have the following eﬀect on the worshippers:

51 Spiritual Renewal Conference, 2001, in Los Angeles http://www.davidcho.com/Neweng/cc-1-6.asp

52 David Cloud The Pentecostal-Charismatic Movements: The History and Error (Way of Life Literature, 2006).

53 Andrew Strom Kundalini Warning: Are False Spirits Invading the Church? (RevivalSchool, 2010). This book is written by an ‘insider’ in the Charismatic Movement.

54 See John MacArthur Charismatic Chaos (Zondervan, 1993) and Peter Masters The Charismatic Phenomena (The Wakeman Trust, 1988).

55 See the DVD set Music for Good or Evil (David Cloud, Way of Life Literature) which examines the musical characteristics of CCM: http://www.wayoflife.org/publications/video/music_for_good_or_evil.php and the DVD/free eVideo: The Foreign Spirit of Contemporary Worship Music http://www.wayoflife.org/ free_evideo/foreign_spirit.php ‘We want you to be equipped in the realm of the supernatural - in prayer, in power, in the prophetic, in dreams, in signs and wonders, healing, uh you know, all this stuff.’56

The video footage57 of Jesus Culture events shows scenes reminiscent of the so-called Toronto blessing.58 Young people at the band’s ‘worship’ services can be seen staggering around with uncontrollable body jerking, spasms and laughing. The band leaders believe that these disturbing phenomena constitute revival.59 It is therefore horrifying that churches are singing songs which were written with the intention of promoting an atmosphere that encourages these phenomena, and whose words are actually requesting it, whether or not the singers themselves are aware of the meaning and intention of the songs.

Rev. Sam Ko showed his approval of these Charismatic worship songs after the WEST students’ performance by commenting that:

‘The way they were singing was more powerful than size - condom style - (church laughs) because, because they have Jesus, because they know Jesus isn't it.’ (Rev. Sam Ko laughs).60

WEST has partnered with Sound of Wales (SOW), a group of musicians promoting Contemporary Christian Music within Wales. The SOW musicians have announced on their website that they are in the process of discussions with WEST regarding a degree in contemporary worship:

‘Another exciting partnership is with West theological seminary. This will be the place where the brand spanking new degree in contemporary worship starts in September 2013... We are currently in the throngs of meetings with the head bods at West, putting together a plan for the degree’s start…’61

56 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob_yiiXw8pM

57 Ibid.

58 The Toronto blessing describes the phenomena that began in January 1994 at the Toronto Airport Vineyard church including falling or ‘slaying’ in the Spirit, uncontrollable laughter, shaking, and crying, and even people crawling like animals and roaring like lions. Leaders and participants wrongly believe that these are physical manifestations of the Holy Spirit's presence and power.

59 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob_yiiXw8pM

60 Sermon entitled Three great I am’s by Rev. Sam Ko (morning service, October 14th, 2012). http:// www.mountpleasantchurch.org.uk/sermons.htm

61 http://www.sowmusic.org.uk/_blog/Sound_of_Wales_Blog_-_SOW/post/Partnerships_with_SOW/ It is also reported that, at the end of 2011, the SOW musicians had entered into partnership with Elevation, the managers of the band Jesus Culture:

‘… we were approached by Elevation music with a publishing and recording contract… More well known of their artists include Jesus Culture… We are now working in partnership with Elevation.’62

SARANG’S RELATIONS WITH RICK WARREN

The relationship between Pastor Oh of the SaRang Community Church and Rick Warren has lasted over 20 years. Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven teaching embraces a gospel whereby one need only ‘receive and believe’ in the Lord Jesus Christ without any need for true repentance or holiness of life.63 The book mixes ‘Christian’ teachings with those of the New Agers, mystics and Roman Catholics,64 and is therefore similar to the Emerging Church teachings. Indeed in Rick Warren’s foreword to Dan Kimball’s book The Emerging Church, he proclaimed:

‘This book is a wonderful, detailed example of what a purpose-driven church can look like in a postmodern world… While my book The Purpose Driven Church explained what the church is called to do, Dan’s book explains how to do it.’65

His Purpose Driven Church growth model shares many similarities with the liberal Emerging Church leader Brian McLaren’s notions that Christianity should focus on social justice and humanitarian eﬀorts here and now rather than on a relationship with Jesus Christ and preparing for Heaven. Rick Warren has close associations with Mark Driscoll,66 the controversial pastor of Mars Hill Church, Seattle, who describes himself as ‘theologically

62 Ibid.

63 Rick Warren The Purpose Driven Life (Zondervan, 2002, pp.58-59).

64 Rick Warren frequently quotes from Roman Catholics and mystics to promote centering prayer and other Catholic-pagan forms of spirituality. For example, in The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life Warren advises his readers to ‘practice breath prayers’ as per the Benedictines.

65 Dan Kimball The Emerging Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generations (Zondervan, 2003).

66 E. S. Williams Driscoll and Warren http://www.driscollcontroversy.com/?page_id=792 conservative and culturally liberal,’67 and they share a concern with being culturally relevant, for example in embracing rock music in the church.

The strong inﬂuence of Rick Warren on the SaRang Community Church in Seoul is evident from their website. The church has current links to many pages on Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven teachings and messages from Rick Warren to the church.68 Furthermore, Rick Warren is featured on the church Introductory Video.69 In this video, the speaker claims that ‘SaRang Community Church has been a pioneer in bringing revival through various ministries.’ But what do they mean by ‘revival’? One of the six ministries mentioned which is supposed to have brought revival is the Purpose Driven Life Conference led by Rick Warren in 2006. Pictures of Rick Warren playing the drums in a huge auditorium are shown whilst the video audio information is given.

A news report70 of the 2006 event explained that Dr. Warren’s visit had been organised by Pastor Oh of the SaRang Community Church, Dr. Billy Kim71 and Dr. David Yonggi Cho, and stated that:

‘Dr. Warren and his team conducted a two-day Purpose Driven Church conference for 20,000 pastors - the biggest they have held in any of the 162 countries where they have provided such training - at Yoido Full Gospel Church, the world's largest congregation.’

The report made a number of statements that would be of great concern to any Christian aware of the teaching and ecumenical/humanitarian agenda of Rick Warren:

‘Dr. Warren said he wanted to encourage Korean churches of all denominations to work together. "One church can't do much, but together, we can change the world," he said…’

‘Dr. Warren indicated he wanted to encourage business and government leaders to value and cooperate with the church in solving humanitarian issues…’

67 Jason Bailey interview with Mark Driscoll: Men Are From Mars Hill http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/ 2006/julyweb-only/127-52.0.html

68 http://english.sarang.org/ Click on ‘Organization’, then ‘Discipleship Ministries, International Media Ministry,’ then the ‘Purpose Driven’ logo takes you to: http://www.purposedriven.co.kr/default.asp

69 Church Introductory Video: http://english.sarang.org/

70 PRNewswire Rick Warren Challenges South Korean Churches for a Third Wave of Revival (July 16th, 2006). http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rick-warren-challenges-south-korean-churches-for-a-third- wave-of-revival-56070002.html

71 Dr. Billy Kim was the president of the ecumenical Baptist World Alliance from 2000 until 2005. ‘At the close of the service, virtually the entire audience stood with him to confess and commit they will do whatever it takes to bring about revival in their lives, their churches, their communities and their country.’72

But what did the 20,000 pastors promise Rick Warren that they would be prepared to do? Teach and obey God’s Word as revealed in the Holy Bible? The statement given by Pastor Oh at the event is very revealing:

‘Earlier revivals have emphasized the Holy Spirit and evangelism, and the current focus of our church is on discipleship,’ he said. ‘But Rick Warren puts the emphasis on life - the Purpose Driven Life - which is the real, timely need of the Korean church today. That is why something is happening.’73

Tragically, many Christians today are following Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven church growth philosophies rather than the message of the Bible. Roger Oakland has estimated that ‘over 400,000 churches have now participated in Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven program.’ 74The inﬂuence of Rick Warren in Korea is apparent in the statement by David Yonggi Cho:

‘God has used Dr. Warren to renew the Korean Church and Christian faith in Korea. I have never seen so many preachers gathered together in one place, and I am very happy about it.’75

Rev. Sam Ko (Chairman of the WEST Board) and Rick Warren

Rev. Sam Ko has translated Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life into Korean.76 Sadly, over a million Koreans have now been fed Rick Warren’s teachings. At an event celebrating the sale of the ﬁrst million copies of the Korean version of his book, Rick Warren invited Rev. Sam Ko

72 PRNewswire, op. cit.

73 Ibid.

74 Roger Oakland Faith Undone: the emerging church, a new reformation or an end-time deception (Lighthouse Trails, 2007, p.223).

75 PRNewswire, op. cit.

76 http://www.hanbooks.com/pudrli.html to the stage in order to receive applause from the Saddleback Church members. A video of these events77 was published on the internet by Saddleback Church on July 10th, 2010.

Inevitably, Rev. Sam Ko appears to have been inﬂuenced by Rick Warren’s gospel message with its easy believism. In his sermon at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Swansea, this was his explanation of the Gospel:

‘…it is so simple. It is so simple. It is the power of God to everyone who believes. So simple isn’t it! The Gospel is so simple! Ladies and Gentlemen, in order to have the Gospel in your heart, you don’t have to beg to God: “Please please please please please please please.” You don’t have to beg to God. You don’t have to bargain with God: “Oh God, if you give me something then I’m not going to eat chocolate for the rest of my life.” You don’t have to say that! You don’t have to bargain with God. Or, you don’t have to bribe to God: “Oh God if you give me this - okay – um, I’m going to make sure to uh to attend Sunday service every Sunday!” You don’t have to bribe to God – “I’m going to give you ten pounds.” You don’t have to bribe to God! You don’t have to beg to God. You don’t have to bargain with God. You don’t have to uh bribe to God. Only thing you’ve gotta do is, you only BELIEVE! You only BELIEVE! You see God made it so simple that nobody could say it was too hard to understand.’78

Pastor Oh signs Rick Warren’s P.E.A.C.E. Plan

Pastor Rick Warren and Pastor Jung-Hyun Oh have signed a covenant to celebrate their unity and commitment to upholding the values of the Rick Warren P.E.A.C.E. Plan. A report and photograph, dated July 7th, 2010, can be viewed on the internet79 and there is also a Facebook page80 to mark this event with further pictures. It was reported that at the signing Rick Warren said:

‘After a long-term relationship, mutual respect and a vision that aligned with ours, we know our partnership is blessed because it is ordained by God.’81

77 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYLNRNzHnHk

78 Sermon by Rev. Sam Ko (morning service, October 14th, 2012). http://www.mountpleasantchurch.org.uk/ sermons.htm

79 Peace Plan Covenant with SaRang Community Church in Korea (July, 2010) http://saddleback.com/blogs/ communityblog/peace-plan-covenant-with-sarang-community-church-in-seoul-korea/

80 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.447143465902.237212.34845120902&type=3

81 Ibid. This P.E.A.C.E. Plan was created with the aim of enlisting ‘one billion foot soldiers’ to overcome the ﬁve ‘global giants’ of ‘spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease and illiteracy.’82 ‘P.E.A.C.E.’ stands for ‘Plant churches that promote reconciliation, Equip servant leaders, Assist the poor, Care for the sick, and Educate the next generation.’ 83Rick Warren has said that the fulﬁlment of the P.E.A.C.E. Plan requires a ‘three-legged stool’ consisting of government, business and religion.84 Warren believes that this all-inclusive church85 with its ecumenical and interfaith practice will be the key to the success of his Plan. He claims that the Lord Jesus Christ told him that he should embrace any man of peace to work with in his P.E.A.C.E. Plan, and that the man of peace could as easily be Muslim, Jewish or Roman Catholic as Christian.86 Warren’s Plan, therefore, is not about what the Church believes, but rather what it is doing; not about the Lord Jesus Christ but rather an ecumenical group of religious people brought together to eliminate social problems.

The ecumenical agenda of both Rick Warren and David Yonggi Cho is also evidenced by the fact that both have signed87 the document A Common Word Between Us and You,88 a letter dated 13 October, 2007, from leaders of the Islamic religion to leaders of the Christian religion. The document says that Muslims and Christians worship the same God and claims that ‘the future of the world depends on peace between Muslims and Christians.’ It states that:

‘…The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity. …as Muslims, and in obedience to the Holy Qur’an, we ask Christians to come together with us on the two essentials of our religions… that we shall worship none but God… (Aal ‘Imran, 3:64). Let this common ground be the basis of all future interfaith dialogue between us…’ 89

82 The P.E.A.C.E. Plan http://www.thepeaceplan.com/

83 Ibid.

84 Roger Oakland, op. cit., p.146.

85 Interview by Charlie Rose with Rick Warren (August 17, 2006) See http://www.wayoﬂife.org/database/ peaceplan.html

86 Ibid.

87 http://www.yale.edu/faith/acw/acw.htm

88 http://www.acommonword.com/the-acw-document/

89 Ibid. It was also signed by Roman Catholics, prominent theological modernists, Emerging Church leaders such as Brian McClaren and Bill Hybels,90 New Age and ‘self-esteem’ guru Robert Schuller (whose philosophies have greatly inﬂuenced both Rick Warren and Yonggi Cho91), John Stott,92 Leith Anderson,93 Michael Treneer94 and other evangelicals.95

At the signing of the covenant to uphold Rick Warren’s P.E.A.C.E. Plan Pastor Oh said:

‘We are living in this postmodern period that calls for diﬀerent steps to produce action. SaRang Church is a disciple-making church intent on doing whatever it takes to reach people for Jesus.96 Partnering with Saddleback and working together, our hope is that we can win a lot of young people in the 21st century and build them up to be future church leaders.’97

‘I’m thankful that God has given us this wonderful relationship with Pastor Rick for the past 20 years—trusting one another, walking together and being able to climb this high mountain set before us as one team.’98

The photo of Pastor Oh and Rick Warren holding their covenant together and the report of the event can be seen on the internet.99 Furthermore, a video clip can be viewed of the

90 Bill Hybels is the pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in the USA. He is an Emerging Church leader and he works closely with Rick Warren on humanitarian problems such as the AIDS issue.

91 David Cloud The God of End Time Mysticism (Way of Life Literature, 2011, p.59).

92 John Robert Walmsley Stott CBE (1921 -2011) was an Anglican cleric and one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974. He was the Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church London at the time of signing.

93 Leith Anderson is the President of the National Association of Evangelicals.

94 Michael Treneer is the International President of The Navigators.

95 http://www.yale.edu/faith/acw/acw.htm

96 The SaRang Community Church has its own similar ministry to Rick Warren’s P.E.A.C.E. Plan entitled: H.E.A.R.T. See http://english.sarang.org/

97 http://saddleback.com/blogs/communityblog/peace-plan-covenant-with-sarang-community-church-in- seoul-korea/

98 Ibid.

99 Ibid. occasion where Pastor Oh (and Rev. Sam Ko) gave Rick Warren a model ship in order to celebrate their covenant to work together.100

The inﬂuence of Rick Warren throughout the world is enormous and he is undoubtedly contributing to the bringing in of the One World Church through his false Christianity and ecumenical agenda.

WEST AND THE ACTS 29 NETWORK

WEST now has links with the church-planting network Acts 29 through the Porterbrook Network101 which provides teaching courses for Christians. The Acts 29 Network was founded by the Emerging Church leader Mark Driscoll and is currently led by Matt Chandler.102

Dr. E. S. Williams, a member of the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, has created two excellent websites103 which provide information and warn about Mark Driscoll’s ministry. Dr. Williams shows that Mark Driscoll is a very inﬂuential New Calvinist who is promoting the mixing of Calvinistic theology with worldliness. Driscoll has established R-rated movie nights, beer-making sessions, parties serving alcohol, rock music in the services and rock concerts at the church. There is inappropriate sexual content and language in his preaching, he promotes tattoos, uses profane language,104 and even practices divination.105 Dr. Williams

100 Rick Warren Receives Ship from Dr. John Jung Hyun Oh http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwhaBNjCZbk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

101 http://www.porterbrooknetwork.org/

102 Matt Chandler is Lead Pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, Texas.

103 http://www.newcalvinist.com/ and http://www.driscollcontroversy.com/

104 Mark Driscoll was nicknamed ‘Mark the cussing pastor’ by Donald Miller in his book Blue Like Jazz (Thomas Nelson, 2003).

105 Divination is communicating with demons in order to discover information. It is forbidden by God (Deuteronomy 18:10). See Phil Johnson’s warning about Mark Driscoll and divination: http://teampyro.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/ pornographic-divination.html also warns about other New Calvinists such as Tim Keller,106 John Piper107 (friend of Rick Warren and Mark Driscoll) and Al Mohler.108

The Porterbrook Network is an Aﬃnity Associate and its website states that it subscribes to ‘the doctrinal basis of Aﬃnity. Students need to accept that this is who we are.’ The Porterbrook Network has announced that the course has been ‘commended and endorsed’ by the Acts 29 Network, Timothy Keller, the Anglican Vaughan Roberts,109 and Alan Hirsch. 110Furthermore, in order for students to be accepted on the Columbia Porterbrook course, it is necessary for them agree to the following statement:

‘I have read the Acts 29 doctrinal statement111 and ﬁnd myself in agreement with it enough to keep from being divisive or contrary.’112

The Porterbrook Network’s teaching reﬂects Tim Keller’s New Calvinism, the ‘missional’ emphasis of the Emerging Church, and the Acts 29 ‘contextualising’ of Scripture. This can be clearly seen in the titles of the course modules such as: Culture, Missional Community Life, Keeping it Missional, Church History in Missional Perspective, Missional Church and Church Planting, Engaging with Context, Engaging with the Urban Poor and Engaging with the City.113

Scott Thomas, a former director of Acts 29, has made the following statement about Acts 29:

‘God is signiﬁcantly using our network to inﬂuence and shape the church planting culture through both rock-solid theology and contextualizing the gospel. We will not waver on

106 Timothy Keller is pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York. http://www.newcalvinist.com/tim- kellers-false-gospel/ and http://www.newcalvinist.com/who-are-the-new-calvinists-part-1/

107 John Piper is the Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church (Minneapolis, MN) and the founder of Desiring God.

108 Al Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

109 Vaughan Roberts is the Rector of St. Ebbes Church, Oxford, and the President of the Proclamation Trust.

110 Alan Hirsch is the founding director of Forge Mission Training Network International, a missional training centre that exists to help ‘birth and nurture the missional church’ and to train leaders in the USA, Canada and Australia.

111 http://www.acts29network.org/about/doctrine/

112 http://www.porterbrooknetwork.org/columbia/

113 http://www.porterbrooknetwork.org/syllabus/ either of these commitments. We won’t water down our theology to reach more people and we won’t attack the culture in the name of Christianity.’114

Contextualisation is about how the Church relates to culture. What does contextualising the Gospel actually mean in practice to the New Calvinists? Dr. E. S. Williams has argued that:

‘Scripture is contextualised to make the gospel world view sensitive and acceptable to the latest cultural trends in society. Jesus must be presented as the answer to the questions the culture is asking.’115

If one’s theology allows worldliness then there is something very wrong with the theology! The behaviour of Mark Driscoll and other so-called ‘conservative’ Emergents is a complete contradiction of historical Calvinism. The Bible does not tell us to embrace culture; we are exhorted to ‘have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them’ (Eph. 5:11). According to Acts 29, culture should be embraced rather than attacked or reproved. Mark Driscoll, his Acts 29 network and other New Calvinists are promoting a worldly and unbiblical form of Christianity which faithful Christians should not associate with, but rather reprove.

WEST has announced the following on their website under the title ‘New Initiatives:’

‘The partnership with SaRang Church is bearing fruit, founded on mutual trust. This remarkable Korean church has a vision for re-equipping the churches of Wales, particularly in the Valleys. The Porterbrook Network in Wales – focused on church planting – is now based at WEST...’116

Furthermore, the new Chairman of the WEST board, Sam Ko, has announced that WEST is intending to work directly with Acts 29. On October 14th, 2012, Sam Ko declared that WEST is working on a project known as the Valley Commandos Project. He said the following:

‘We are going to do this ministry together called the Valley Commandos Project… and SaRang Church is going to work together with WEST, with Mount Pleasant Baptist Church,117 many Welsh churches and the mission agencies such as Acts 29, and the

114 David Cloud What is the Emerging Church? (Way of Life Literature, 2009, p.396).

115 http://www.newcalvinist.com/who-are-the-new-calvinists-part-2/

116 http://www.west.org.uk/News (WEST News, 19th September, 2012).

117 Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Swansea. The pastor is Steve Levy. denomination that this church belongs to: FIEC.118 What we have agreed is that yes, we are moving! It is about time for us to move into the Valleys and we are going to plant 12 churches in those 14 valleys.’119

Given the ongoing associations of Pastor Oh and Rev. Sam Ko with Rick Warren and his Purpose Driven teachings, the Charismatic leanings of the SaRang church, and the New Calvinist theology of Acts 29 with the worldliness of its leaders, one wonders at the type of teaching to which the Welsh Valleys are about to be introduced.

CONCLUSION

We are witnessing a global collapse of the Biblical doctrine of separation and a great mixing of truth with error resulting in spiritual confusion and apostasy. Reformed and evangelical truths are being mixed with New Age ideas, mysticism, Roman Catholic practices, culturally- relevant worldliness, the promotion of ecumenical ideas in Charismatic worship and the Emerging Church, the promotion of the social justice gospel and emphases on Charismatic so-called ‘experiences’ of God.

Tragically for Biblical Evangelicalism, WEST is most definitely not heading in the right direction. It can no longer be considered a Reformed college as it is now closely associated with dangerous false teachers, the Emergent Acts 29 network, the ecumenically compromised Lausanne Movement, and has been influenced by New Calvinistic, Charismatic and Emergent philosophies. The non-separatist stand adopted by Affinity and WEST can only lead evangelicals into association with error, apostasy and ecumenicity, as we have sadly seen.

There is a dearth of discernment in Evangelicalism today and spiritual compromise and alliances with error are on every side. The need for faithful Biblical teaching and a holy, separated stand by evangelicals is greater than ever before. As Rev. Malcolm Watts120 has said of the calling of ministers:

‘When false teaching arises, they must meet it head-on, wielding the sword of the Word of God. Of course, this might erode their popularity and support. Often we hear criticisms

118 Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches

119 Sermon by Rev. Sam Ko (morning service, October 14th, 2012). http://www.mountpleasantchurch.org.uk/ sermons.htm

120 Rev. Malcolm Watts is the pastor of Emmanuel Church in Salisbury. made of a faithful man: “He is becoming so negative. He always seems to be knocking things!” Well, friends, there is a time to knock things. If a venomous snake suddenly and menacingly comes your way, you would do well to deliver a crushing blow on its head. Heresy is more dangerous than any snake. It is able to destroy men’s very souls for all eternity. Should ministers ignore heresy and hope it will not do too much damage? Shouldn’t they strike it with the Scriptures of truth, and all the power at their disposal?’121

May God help us all to stand ﬁrm in the Faith in the days ahead and until our Lord and Saviour returns.

121 Malcolm Watts What is a Reformed Church? (Reformation Heritage Books, 2012, p.150). BELIEVERS DAILY REMEMBRANCER

We are pleased to announce that from 1 January this year James Smith’s book of daily readings will be available again. This is a new reprint in hardback and is the latest and most correct edition. For information on price and to order your copy, please go to http://www.conquestbooks.co.uk/ or email [email protected] THE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE EPISTLES

Malcolm H. Watts

Have you ever wondered about those explanatory notes which appear at the end of some of the Epistles? At the end of Romans, for example, we read: “Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe, servant of the church at Cenchrea.” What are we to make of these notes?

The Subscriptions are thought to have been added about the middle of the 5th century by Euthalius, Bishop of Sulca in Egypt. Thomas Hartwell Horne says this man was “either grossly ignorant, or grossly inattentive.” Professor Patrick Fairbairn says, “the subscriptions ... are oftener wrong than right.”

Several of the Subscriptions are simply and clearly erroneous.

1. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is stated to have been written from “Philippi,” even though the Apostle writes in 1 Corinthians 16:8 that he intends to “tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost” and then, in verse 19, he sends greetings from “the churches of Asia.” According to Dr. T. C. Edwards, this subscription has no manuscript support older than the 8th century.

2. The Epistle to the Galatians is said to be written from “Rome,” but this cannot be right, for he expresses surprise, in chapter 1:6, that they were so “soon” removed from Gospel Truth, but it was at least ten years after the Galatians’ conversion that Paul was in Rome.

3. The Epistles to the Thessalonians are said to be written at “Athens,” but they were clearly written at Corinth. Silvanus and Timothy, who are mentioned in the Salutations (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1), joined Paul at Corinth according to Acts 18:1,5.

4. The First Epistle to Timothy carries a subscription which cannot possibly be correct or even early, because it states the Epistle was written from “Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phygia Pacatiana” but (to our knowledge) Paul never was at Laodicea and, in the Epistle itself, Paul writes of having left Ephesus for Macedonia (1:3), making it probable that it was written from some place like Philippi. Furthermore, the country of Phrygia was not divided into two provinces - Pacatiana (or Phrygia Prima) and Phrygia Secunda - until the 4th century. The subscription must therefore have been written after this time. 5. The Epistle to Titus is said to have been written from “Nicopolis of Macedonia,” but there was no Nicopolis belonging to that Province (although there was one in Epirus and in Cilicia). Moreover, when Paul says (3:12) that his intention was to spend the winter “there” (in Nicopolis), he clearly was not in that particular place at the time of writing. The further statement in the subscription that “it was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians” (as Timothy, apparently, was “first bishop of the church of the Ephesians” - see 2 Timothy) clearly reflects the sub-apostolic emergence of Diocesan Episcopacy.

6. The Epistle to the Hebrews, apparently, was written “from Italy by Timothy,” but this is wholly without foundation and plainly contradicts the inspired writer’s own words in 13:23 “Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.”

Dr. Debra Anderson writes, “Regarding the subscripts being in the Textus Receptus (or Received Text), they go back to Erasmus (we have a 1551 printing of his text in our library). They were, according to Scrivener, appended to St Paul’s Epistles in many manuscripts .... In the best copies they are somewhat shorter in form, but in any shape they do no credit to the care or skill of their author, whoever he may be (A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, [Cambridge: Deighton, Bell and Co., 1883], page 62). The earliest original- hand manuscript I know of that has the subscripts is Codex H (6th century), although Sinaiticus and Vaticanus both have titles and subscripts - these added later by a diﬀerent hand.”

Since these superscriptions are no part of the Inspired Text and are clearly most unreliable, the Trinitarian Bible Society is hoping to omit them from future editions of the Scriptures. In the new Windsor Text Bibles they have already been removed (along with the abbreviation “St,” as in St. Matthew etc., which also has no Biblical authority whatsoever). SHADOWS OF HEAVENLY THINGS 1

John Hooper, Saltash

As a child listens to its mother teaching it the many new and exciting things in the world around it, it needs help. At such a tender age the child ﬁnds the language of words to be a mystery. It has not yet learned how to read, and is struggling with the letters of the alphabet, so the mother uses pictures to help the child. Pictures it can understand. Pictures it can relate to.

The church in Old Testament times was the church as a child, and she was just such a child as I have described (Galatians 3:24-4-7). To help her understand the wonders of the gospel and the meaning of His promise, God gave to her a beautiful picture book. It was full of pictures painted in the most vibrant of colours, such as gold and blue and purple and scarlet, and consisted of many events, ordinances, characters and more. These pictures are the “types” of the Old Testament.

A difficulty

We, too, are helped by the pictures, just as we are by the illustrations in a book. The things “written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). As we study the types they can be very instructive to us, teaching us in vivid, living pictures the wonders of what God has done for our salvation, and continues to do. But there are dangers. Oswald T. Allis notes, “The study of typology is interesting; it is important. But it is also very difficult; and it is easy to make mistakes, even serious mistakes, in dealing with it” (Prophecy and the Church, page 23). Allis identified two such pitfalls. In the first place, “it is often difficult to determine whether an Old Testament feature has typical significance,” and in the second place, “it is also difficult to be sure just in what respect and to what extent a type is truly typical” (ibid). So how are we to know what is a type?

In the early pages of his impressive work Typology of Scripture, Patrick Fairbairn undertakes a historical survey of his subject. Beginning with the early church and ending with men of his own time, he outlines a number of views that have been adopted, and principles of interpretation that have been used by those who have grappled with this question. They range from the arbitrary and allegorical approach of church fathers such as Clement and Origen, who saw types almost everywhere, to the very limited typology of nineteenth century rationalists who hardly acknowledged them at all. Somewhere between these two extremes lies the truth.

Scripture alone

One of the men whom Fairbairn quotes with some disapproval is a one-time bishop of Peterborough, Herbert Marsh (1757–1839). Now Marsh was no friend of evangelicals and Calvinists, and he has been attributed with the dubious honour of introducing German higher criticism to England. But even so, any believer who holds to a high view of Scripture, higher probably than did Marsh himself, would ﬁnd his interest stirred by what Marsh has to say about types. In his Lectures on the Criticism and Interpretation of the Bible (1828) he writes:

To constitute a type, something more is requisite than a mere resemblance of that which is called its antitype. For one thing may resemble another when the things themselves are totally unconnected. But it is the very essence of a type to have a necessary connexion with its antitype. It must have been designed, and designed from the very beginning, to preﬁgure its antitype, or it partakes not of that character which belongs to a real type … Where this character is wanting, there is wanting that relationship of type to antitype which subsists between the things of the Old Testament and the things of the New.

So far, so good. Few, including Fairbairn, would disagree up to this point. But it still leaves open the question, how is the believer to know that a supposed type is specifically designed to be a type? This is where the difficulties begin and the differences come to light. Marsh goes on to say,

And the only mode of distinguishing the cases where this relation actually exists from the cases where it is only supposed to exist, is to examine what things in the Old Testament have been represented by Christ and his Apostles as relating to things in the New. For then we have authority for such relation: then we know that one thing was designed to preﬁgure the other. But without such authority it is absolutely impossible that we should obtain the knowledge which is necessary on this subject. (Lectures, page 378; Marsh’s emphasis)

Marsh looks to the clear, objective authority of Scripture to determine for us which of the Old Testament characters, events and institutions were typical. “There is no other rule by which we can distinguish a real from a pretended type, than that of Scripture itself” (page 373). In other words, we may only call a type what the Word of God itself calls a type.

Now it seems to me that Marsh here is doing little more than applying the Reformation principle that Scripture is its own interpreter, or that “Scripture interprets Scripture,” and that criticism of him might be a little unfair. As Luther would say, “Scripture is its own light,” so if we are to know what is a Scriptural type, then we must allow the light of Scripture itself to enlighten us. O.T. Allis expressed the fear that, “There may be serious danger in attaching ‘typical’ importance to Old Testament events and institutions which cannot be proved to have any such meaning” (Prophecy and the Church page 22). Our only source of proof is the Bible itself.

Fairbairn does acknowledge that Scripture is the sole rule by which we are able to determine what is a type, but he is not prepared to accept it “in the straightened sense” of Marsh. Fairbairn sees Scripture as indicating “certain fundamental views or principles, of which it makes but a few individual applications, and for the rest leaves them in the hand of spiritually enlightened consciences” (Typology, page 24). In other words, Scripture lays down the principles and provides us with examples, such as the paschal lamb, but then leaves us, as spiritually qualiﬁed and equipped students of the Word, to use those principles and discover the many more types scattered throughout the Old Testament.

This still might leave us vulnerable to the kind of mistakes that would not be possible if we adhered to Scripture alone. Marsh commented that, “Volumes have been ﬁlled with types and antitypes, which exist only in the fancy of the writers,” and that is something we would want to avoid at all cost. In looking for types it is easy to lose ourselves in conjecture and speculation, but such is our love for the Word of God and for the One who inspired and gave it to us, we should seek always to understand it as He intended, including the types. However there is a principle that we can and should use, one on which Scripture is quite clear and that takes us to the heart of God’s design and purpose for the types: to bring the gospel to a sinful, needy people.

(To be concluded) WESTMINSTER REFERENCE BIBLE

J.P. Thackway

An extended review and appreciation Published by Trinitarian Bible Society (www.tbsbibles.org). Fuller details below.

Hard on the heels of the four hundredth anniversary of the Authorised Version last year comes a splendid new edition published by the Trinitarian Bible Society. The Westminster Reference Bible contains a number of features, many of which will not be found in any other edition of the AV. In this review, I would like to highlight some of these features and warmly commend this Bible to our readers.

First, the physical side of the book. Measuring 215mm x 153mm (8.5ins x 6ins) and 33mm (1.3ins) thick, its print size is a comfortable 9.6 point. It is available in hard cover with a choice of black with gold lettering, or a blue and yellow/green design. The leather edition is black premium calfskin.

Other features make this a unique edition of God’s word. Opening the ﬁrst pages we are met with three extra ﬂyleaves, which contain verses from the Bible set out attractively:

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Psalm 119:18

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much ﬁne gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Psalm 19:7-11

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is proﬁtable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16

What an excellent idea! These act like three gates through which we pass, and heeding these divine words, our hearts are prepared for the whole ﬁeld of revelation before us.

The next page is another quality cartridge-like paper that is a presentation page. Making a gift of this Bible means the recipient’s name can be put here, together with the giver’s name, and the date.

Then follows one of the unique features. After the customary Dedication to King James by the translators (which is found in most AVs) comes in addition The Translators to the Reader. This is the much longer Preface written by Miles Smith of Oxford, later bishop of Gloucester, concerning which the AV expert, Adam Nicholson, wrote:

Was anything ever written about a sacred text that was so fresh, so full of delight in what these words might bring you? For all the lugubrious seriousness and monomaniac anger and violence that can hang around seventeenth-century religion, Bishop Smith, here writing at the very end of the long translation process in which he was engaged throughout, remains buoyant with enthusiasm and with a quality that can only be called grace (The Power and the Glory, page 219). This marvellous essay sets out the rationale of Smith and his fellow-scholars as they translated the AV from the original languages. It is well worth reading, for it helps us appreciate the motives and methods of these great men who laboured in their committees to give us this monarch of English translations. Both the Dedication and this mighty Preface stand in stark contrast to the preambles to modern Bible translations, with their thin and man-centred words.

By the time we come to page xxiii, we have ﬁve pages of helps that enable us to use the AV in general, and the Westminster edition in particular. One of these is a table explaining simply the biblical pronouns “thou” and “ye.” Included is the reminder that the Psalm headings are part of the inspired text and where one occurs it should always be read as part of the Psalm.

The reader will immediately notice the unusual page layout of this Bible. Instead of the usual centre margin there are two margins, one on either side of the page. This is to accommodate the cross-references and other helps. The number of cross-references adds up to more than two hundred thousand – vastly more than in standard AVs. This is because they are taken from The Self-interpreting Bible by John Brown of Haddington (1722–1787), who compiled these references to enable the reader to make a larger and deeper study than would normally be possible. Following up these is a very spiritual and proﬁtable exercise.

Chapter summaries go across the top of half the page. This is because they are fuller, taken from a standard edition of the AV printed in 1773 by Eyre and Strahan in London. They really do give a clearer picture of the contents of each chapter. Just one example, at the head of 2 Kings 10. The standard summary (quite full here) is:

1 Jehu causeth seventy of Ahab’s children to be beheaded. 12 He slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah’s brethren. 18 By subtilty he destroyeth all the worshippers of Baal, 29 yet followeth Jeroboam’s sins. 32 Hazael oppresseth Israel. 34 Jehoahaz succeedeth Jehu.

The Westminster’s summary is:

1 Jehu by his letters causeth Ahab’s seventy sons to be slain in Samaria. 8 He excuseth the fact by the prophesy of Elijah, and destroyeth all Ahab’s kindred and friends in Jezreel. 12 In his way to Samaria he slayeth two and forty of Ahaziah’s brethren. 15 He taketh Jehonadab in the chariot with him, and destroyeth all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria. 18 By subtilty he slayeth at once all Baal’s worshippers, and breaketh down his images and house. 29 Jehu followeth the sins of Jeroboam, but for having executed God’s judgments on Ahab’s house, is promised the continuance of his kingdom in his family to the fourth generation. 32 Hazael smiteth Israel. 34 Jehu dieth; his son Jehoahaz succeedeth him.

A further important feature of the margins is a system to explain words that have changed their meaning. An asterisk against these points the reader across to the margin, where the word is replaced by its modern equivalent, or explained. For example, in Deuteronomy 11:30 “champaign” is plain, ﬂat countryside. “Draught house” in 2 Kings 10 is drain, sewer. “A several house” in 2 Kings 15:5 for “several” is separate (house). And in Acts 6:9 “libertines” are freed slaves. There are more than 700 of these. Other valuable helps appear in these margins that are explained on pages xxiii-xxvii.

Moving to the other end of the book, there are a number of Appendices: tables of weights and measures, including money and units of time. Where these occur, they are indicated in the margin by little marks that take the reader to these tables – a good idea. One example is the Old Testament lengths on page 1494. “Handbreadth” is mentioned in Psalm 39:5. This is the “width at the base of the hand,” 3 inches.

Appendix 2 is a list of words and proper names with their pronunciation. It is important to get these right, especially in public reading. Did you know, for instance, that “shekel” is pronounced sheekel? and that “Gehazi” is pronounced Ge-hay-zi (with the long i)? Appendix 3 has the Daily Reading Plan, whereby the whole Bible can be read through in two years, with the Psalms and the New Testament twice. Appendix 4 is a remarkably full concordance covering 138 pages.

Finally come 8 pages of beautifully clear maps. These maps, specially commissioned by the Trinitarian Bible Society, seek to be faithful to the Biblical Record. Thus, the children of Israel are shown crossing through the Red Sea (rather than around it as in most modern maps). In addition, place names on the maps keep the AV rendering and do not follow the modern trend of having place names based on the Critical Text reading.

One more feature is the removal of the subscriptions to the epistles. These have been removed, not being inspired and often quite erroneous – see the article by Malcolm Watts on this elsewhere in this magazine.

There are three editions of the Westminster Bible available. Two are the hard cover editions, and are £14.95 each. The leather edition is £49.95. I cannot recommend this Bible enough to our readers – it will be a joy to own and a treasure to use. May the Lord own and bless it, and make it a blessing to very many. Do look at it at on the TBS website or telephone (020) 8543 7857 for more details. TRINITARIAN BIBLE SOCIETY Wessex Auxiliary

2nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING will be held, if the Lord will, on Saturday 12th January 2013 at 3.00pm at The Lansdowne Hall, Petty Lane, Derry Hill, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 9QY

Speaker: Pastor Pooyan Mehrshahi

Light refreshments will be served after the meeting

All friends are most welcome For further details, please contact the Auxiliary Secretary, Mr J. P. Sayers (Tel.: 01367 241408 or email [email protected]) BIBLE LEAGUE MEETINGS

God willing

Wattisham Strict Baptist Chapel Hitcham Road, Wattisham Ipswich IP7 7LD

Thursday 7 March 2013, 7.30pm

and

The Reading Rooms Bell Street, Great Baddow Chelmsford CM2 7JR

Friday 8 March 2013 7.30pm

Preacher at both meetings: Rev. M.H. Watts