Luke Chapter 18
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Yes, we live in a world of chaos and confusion. A world full of tests, trials, struggles, battles, war and strife. A world full of magic, technology, “science”, philosophy and politics. Many things try our FAITH daily. This is the time of the GREAT DECEPTION predicted in the Bible. The witchcraft and trickery being used against us by the enemies of our soul is overwhelming. It takes great conviction and strength to endure. It would be impossible to stand today without the power of the Holy Spirit. BUT, it is ours if we are His. How have so many relinquished that power? Why have so many turned from the TRUTH of the GOSPELL of Jesus Christ which is MIGHTY TO SAVE?
I hope that what follows here will help you to see what is happening to our spiritual life. We need to return to our Heavenly Father and Worship HIM in spirit and in TRUTH.
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The following posts are all related to this same topic. You might want to view them all to get the full picture:
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CHRISLAM GRAND OPENING 2022
Center of Hope in Israel
House of One
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ADDITIONS 10/20/22
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ABOUT THE INTERFAITH CENTER
The Bunting Meyerhoff Interfaith and Community Service Center was dedicated in May of 1999. Along with serving as the main base for Religious and Spiritual Life, it is the home for a wide variety of prayer and worship services as well as formal and informal educational and social gatherings for over 20 religious organizations. At the heart of the center is an atmosphere that both ideally and practically links the theological ideas of varying faith traditions with concrete deeds of social and community service.
Implicit in the vision for the center is the willingness and enthusiasm of the University’s many religious communities to educate one another about their traditions in the hope of promoting an environment that goes beyond tolerance to a genuine appreciation of and respect for religious diversity. Through the generosity and commitment of George and Anne Bunting, Harvey M. Meyerhoff, The France-Merrick Foundation and the late Edward M. Passano Sr. together with his late wife Mary, this center is a glowing reality of that vision and constant blessing to the Johns Hopkins community.
The Bunting Meyerhoff Interfaith and Community Service Center is a safe harbor, a place of hospitality and a sacred space that is welcoming to everyone regardless of background.
The Labyrinth
The LabyrinthThe labyrinth has long stood as a metaphor for life’s journey, combining the sense of unity and purposeful wandering into a complicated and beautiful symbol. The earliest labyrinths were constructed in Ancient Greece, c. 2000-2500 B.C.E. and have passed from culture to culture since. Consisting of a single, unicursal path, walking the labyrinth is meant to inspire reflection and contemplation.
In the Spring of 2002, Religious and Spiritual Life commissioned the creation of a labyrinth for the Homewood community. It is transportable and will be displayed at varying venues on campus from time to time throughout the course of the academic year. Groups may also make arrangement to have the labyrinth available on a reservations-only basis. The labyrinth is an octagonal canvas, which, at its largest point, is 35 feet in diameter.
In the Fall of 2007 the Labyrinth of Hope – a permanent labyrinth installed in the carpet of the multi-purpose room of the lower level of the Bunting Meyerhoff Interfaith and Community Service Center – was dedicated. The Labyrinth of Hope is available for use Wednesday evenings and at other times as requested. To find out more, contact Kathy Schnurr at 410-516-1880 or chaplain@jhu.edu.
Meditation Spaces
In addition to the multi-purpose room, sanctuary, and other community spaces, the Bunting Meyerhoff Interfaith and Community Service Center houses dedicated meditation and prayer spaces for Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist members of the university community. These spaces are available for use whenever the building is open, as well as in certain specific circumstances.
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American Churches To Embrace Chrislam
American churches to deny Jesus Christ on June 26, 2011
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
NTEB has reported extensively on the growing Chrislam movement. Started by Rick Warren of Saddleback Church, it has grown dramatically and now has infected many hundreds of churches and denominations all across America. A group called Faith Shared is now spearheading the move to merge Christianity with Islam, and in the process provoking the very judgment of God down upon us as a nation. The following is taken directly from their website:
“Faith Shared asks houses of worship across the country to organize events involving clergy reading from each other’s sacred texts. An example would be a Christian Minister, Jewish Rabbi and Muslim Imam participating in a worship service or other event. Suggested readings will be provided from the Torah, the Gospels, and the Qur’an, but communities are encouraged to choose readings that will resonate with their congregations. Involvement of members from the Muslim community is key. We will also provide suggestions on how to incorporate this program into your regular worship services. And we will assist local congregations in their media and communications efforts.
While there is a strong preference for all of the events to happen on the same day, a number of congregations held interfaith services in January and February giving us wonderful examples of how communities can come together in support and fellowship. We will be posting photos, sample programs and audio files from theses services.
Faith Shared will collect images and videos from these events to use in our efforts to spread this message of respect and understanding from America.
Tensions around Islam in America have erupted throughout the country in the past year, leading to misconceptions, distrust and in some cases violence. News stories on the rising tide of anti-Muslim bigotry and violence abound, with graphic and often searing images of the antagonists, the protagonists and the battlegrounds where they meet. All too often, media coverage simplistically pits Muslims against would-be Qur’an burners, neglecting any substantive representation of where the majority of Americans actually stand: a shared commitment to tolerance and freedom. We are committed to ensuring that the storyline changes dramatically in 2011 by helping to create an environment of mutual understanding and respect for each other’s faith traditions.” source – Faith Shared
I have kept the following list on my post because it might be good for some of you to find your state on the list. Maybe even your area. You probably don’t even know this is going on. Remember this is an old list, from 2011. There are many more now. That does not even include all the College Campuses that have been under seize by this initiative for many years now.
The following are churches across the US who have agreed to sponsor a Chrislam service:
| Congregation | Location | |
| Anchorage First Christian | Anchorage | AK |
| University Presbyterian Church | Tuscaloosa | AL |
| Quapaw Quarter UMC | Little Rock | AR |
| Federated Community Church | Flagstaff | AZ |
| First UMC Phoenix | Phoenix | AZ |
| All Saints Cathedral | Pasadena | CA |
| First United Lutheran, | San Francisco | CA |
| Light of ChristEcumenical Catholic Church | Longmont | CO |
| Park Hill Congregational | Denver | CO |
| Union Congregational | Nucla | CO |
| Temple Micah | Denver | CO |
| Riverfront Family Church | Hartford | CT |
| The National Cathedral | Washington | DC |
| Seekers Church | Washington | DC |
| North American Old Catholic Church | Washington | DC |
| National City Christian Church | Washington | DC |
| New Ark United Church of Christ | Newark | DE |
| Faith United Church of Christ | Clearwater | FL |
| Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola | Pensacola | FL |
| United Church of Christ at The Villages | The Villages | FL |
| Virginia Highland Church | Atlanta | GA |
| Decatur United Church of Christ | Decatur | GA |
| The Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist | College Park | GA |
| St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church | Honolulu | HI |
| Church of the Epiphany | Honolulu | HI |
| Cathedral of St. Andrew, the Episcopal Diocese of HI | Honolulu | HI |
| Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation | Ames | IA |
| Congregational United Church of Christ | Iowa City | IA |
| Urbandale UCC Church | Urbndale | IA |
| Hillview United Methodist | Boise | ID |
| Boise First United Methodist Church, Cathedral of the Rockies | Boise | ID |
| First United of Oak Park | Chicago | IL |
| St Thomas Mission | Chicago | IL |
| The Chicago Temple First UMC | Chicago | IL |
| First Presbyterian Church of Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne | IN |
| Northminster Baptist Church | Monroe | LA |
| The Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst | Amherst | MA |
| Grace Episcopal | Amherst | MA |
| Church of Our Savior | Arlington | MA |
| St Paul’s Cathedral | Boston | MA |
| Old Cambridge Baptist Church | Cambridge | MA |
| Hadwen Park Congregational Church | Worcester | MA |
| Veritas United Church of Christ | Hagerstown | MD |
| Trinity United Methodist | Mountain Grove | MO |
| St. Mary’s Episcopal Church | Ely | MN |
| First Congregational | Great Falls | MT |
| MtView/Trinity UM Parish | Butte | MT |
| Unitarian Universalist Ocean County Congregation, | Toms River | NJ |
| Christ Episcopal Church | Toms River | NJ |
| Zion Methodist Church | Las Vegas | NV |
| Prepare New York | New York | NY |
| Auburn Theological Seminary | New York | NY |
| The Sacred Center of New York | New York | NY |
| Christ Church United Methodist | NewYork | NY |
| The Riverside Church of New York | New York | NY |
| All Souls Bethelehem Church | Brooklyn | NY |
| First Congregational UCC | Corvalis | OR |
| Spirit of Peace United Church of Christ | Sioux Falls | SD |
| Baha’i Faith Community Center | Nashville | TN |
| Saint John’s United Methodist Church | Austin | TX |
| Hope for Peace & Justice Interfaith Peace Chapel | Dallas | TX |
| Cathedral of Hope | Dallas | TX |
| Wasatch Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City | Salt Lake City | UT |
| Grace Episcopal Church | St George | UT |
| United Church of Bellows Falls | Bellow Falls | VT |
| Cathedral of the Diocese of Vermont | Burlington | VT |
| Vermont Ecumenical Council & Bible Society | Burlington | VT |
| Dummerston Congregational Church UCC | Drummerston | VT |
| Memorial United Church of Christ | Fitchburg | WI |
| Trinity Episcopal Church | Janesville | WI |
| First Congregational Church UCC Casper | Casper | WY |
Now let us have a closer look at what the Koran says about the infidels:-
Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them(2:191)
Make war on the infidels living in your neighborhood (9:123)
When opportunity arises,kill the infidels wherever you catch them (9:5)
Kill the Jews and the Christians if they do not convert to Islam or refuse to pay Jizya tax (9:29)
Any religion other than Islam is not acceptable (3:85)
The Jews and the Christians are perverts,fight them (9:30)
Maim and crucify the infidels if they criticize Islam. (5:33)
The infidels are unclean,do not let them into a mosque (9:28)
Punish the unbelievers with garments of fire,hooked iron rods,boiling water,melt their skin and bellies
(22:19)
Do not hanker for peace with the infidels behead them when you catch them (47:4)
The unbelievers are stupid,urge the Muslims to fight them (8:65)
Muslims must not take the infidels as friends (3:28)
Terrorize and behead those who believe in scriptures other than the Qur’an (8:12)
Muslims must muster all weapons to terrorize the infidels (8:60)
After you read these words from the Koran, can you possibly stomach the reading of the Koran in YOUR CHURCH?? Or even in your presence?? God Forbid!
1. It enforces the narrative.
Obvious, but it must be mentioned. Liberals have identified Muslims as an aggrieved minority, and this status means they’ll have the Muslim vote, but it also means they can never criticize, or tolerate criticism of, this declared Victim Group.
It’s important for Muslims to be a victim group because, well, they aren’t white. Almost every Muslim is some shade of not-white. The entire liberal theory of everything revolves around the idea that the white man oppresses the folks of color, which makes whitey the bad guy and the colored folks good. To look deeply at the brutality and atrocities committed in the name of Islam would be to admit that sometimes (in fact, usually) people other than white Christians commit acts of evil violence, and to admit that other cultures and religions can be bad would be to undermine their theory of everything. Naturally, if ever they are forced to acknowledge the bad things done by brown folks, they simply explain how it’s all rooted in white colonialism and oppression. Like black-on-black violence, brown-on-brown oppression is still the fault of the white man.
Everything is the fault of the white man. Everything. This is a fact they teach starting on the first day of college, and if you aren’t repeating it as gospel within a week, they’ll drag you into the auditorium and stone you to death.
OK, maybe things haven’t gotten that bad yet, but we’ll be there soon enough.
2. It makes them feel good.
Liberalism is an inherently selfish ideology. It is, as I’ve explained, the worship of the self. Therefore any liberal idea or belief will be adopted primarily to serve the person who holds it. White liberals feel good when they get the opportunity to be knights in shining armor defending brown and black people from the opinions and judgments of other white people. More importantly, it makes them feel morally superior to those other white people, which alleviates some of their white guilt and strokes their ego in the process.
Remember, liberalism looks only to champion what is cheap and easy and undemanding. Multi-culturalism, like environmentalism, is a cheap and easy sort of cause because all it requires of you is lazy acquiescence and maybe a few retweeted hashtags. In the end, of course, liberalism’s obsession with being “multi-cultural” will very much hurt them — as this country begins to resemble the Third World nations they pretend to care about — but liberals can’t think that far ahead. After all, another defining characteristic of liberalism is its utter lack of foresight.
3. It’s all relative.
Liberals don’t believe in rights and liberties for all people, as is evidenced by their immense affection for infanticide. For them, everything is relative, especially human rights. To put it simply, gays have rights here and women have rights here because this is where we live and where they live, and this is what we decided. Other cultures might decide other things, and who are we to judge?
…liberals limit all of their moral pronouncements to our society, because morality is not absolute in the liberal view. Here gays have the inalienable right to co-opt our ancient institutions and undermine the family, but in Iran they don’t even have the right to a jury trial before they’re burned alive. It’s all relative, guys. Nothing is black and white, man. Like, you can’t judge, bro. They teach that on the first day of college, too.
4. They hate Christianity.
Everything in the world ultimately revolves around Christianity. Christ’s death and resurrection were the single most important events in the history of the universe, and now all people and all nations are finally defined by their acceptance or rejection of that truth. Liberalism rejects the truth, and it’s rejection is central to its existence, just as our acceptance is central to ours.
Liberalism is, then, nothing more than a protest against Christianity. It hates what is Christian and embraces or tolerates whatever is not. With this in mind, it makes sense that the modern liberal attacks Christianity while justifying Islam. First of all, attacking Christianity is literally the sole purpose of liberalism to begin with. Second, on a deeper and probably subconscious level, liberals find kinship in any enemy of the one true faith.
Radical Muslims and radical liberals are both radically hostile to the truth of Christ, and in that sense they have almost everything in common. The radical Muslim may choose to wage an assault on that truth by killing those who profess it, and the radical liberal may choose only to mock and belittle them, but fundamentally they have the same impossible goal: the destruction and dissolution of Christianity.
Liberalism is the kindred spirit of any other anti-Christian religion or ideology. Just take a look at the favorable coverage mainstream feminist blogs gave to the Satanic Temple this week if you need another illustration of my point. Liberalism will side with non-Christians over Christians every time, and there they will find some form of camaraderie — although the militant Islamist would happily hang them from a bridge all the same.
Of course, radical Muslims are enemies of Jews as well, but most Jews in America are liberal Democrats. How Jewish liberals, of all people, could be pleaders for jihadism is its own mind boggling question. Here we find the great paradox of liberalism, and of evil generally; that it at once worships itself and hates itself. Liberals Jews are clearly self-hating, but so are all liberals. To worship yourself is to hate yourself, because self-worship is idolatry, and the man who bows to idols separates himself from God, which is the greatest crime he can possibly commit against himself.
Liberalism drives a person to hate himself, hate God, and hate truth. For these reasons it is radical Islam’s most useful ally, and still remains the greatest threat to our civilization.
MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN VIEWS OF GOD
Copyright © 2011, Focus on the Family.
Don’t Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
On a very superficial level, it would be easy for someone to say that Christians and Muslims “have the same God.” We realize that people make such assertions from the highest and most laudable motives. They’re trying to be generous, kind, tolerant, and open-minded. But they’re mistaken nonetheless. Anybody who is familiar with the subject can tell you that their conclusions are misguided.
The Muslims themselves would probably be the first to disagree. Their own Scriptures deny that their faith is “the same” as that of other “people of the Book” (Jews and Christians). As the Qur’an puts it: “Say, ‘O you disbelievers, I do not worship what you worship. Nor do you worship what I worship. Nor will I ever worship what you worship. Nor will you ever worship what I worship. To you is your religion, and to me is my religion’” (Surah 109, “The Disbelievers”).
What a Jew pictures in his mind when he says ‘ elohim or ‘ adonai is distinct in some important ways from what a Muslim imagines when he says ‘allah. ‘Allah was an Arab tribal god. Originally, he was one member of a polytheistic “pantheon” or collection of gods. Eventually he supplanted the others as the one-and-only deity of Muhammad (though Muhammad himself seems to have made concessions to the existence of other gods in the early stages of his career). YHWH or ‘elohim, on the other hand, has always been the unique and unrivaled Creator and Lord of His people in the minds of monotheistic Jews.
The distinction becomes even sharper when we compare the Islamic god with the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Christians down through the ages have declared that the Scriptures bear witness to one God who exists in three persons subsisting within a single essence. Muslims reject this. In fact, they refer to it as blasphemy and describe it as “tritheism” (worship of three gods). It’s precisely here that the Christian and Muslim ideas of God diverge most sharply and irreconcilably. We cannot say that Muslims and Christians worship the same God when Islam energetically denies the existence of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Islam itself says that the Christian teaching is blasphemous. And this is not just an academic point. “Blasphemy” and “heresy” are issues that Muslims regard very seriously.
In the Hadith (Islam’s second most sacred text, a collection of authoritative sayings and biographical sketches from the life of the Prophet), Muhammad says that Trinitarian Christians are guilty of putting Jesus “in a position not rightly his” (the Qur’an regards Jesus as a mere a prophet). From the Muslim perspective, this is idolatry. This idea is reflected in the following verse of the Qur’an, which contains a clear reference to the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is God incarnate: “Say, ‘O followers of the scripture [i.e., Jews and Christians], let us come to a logical agreement between us and you: that we shall not worship except ALLAH; that we never set up any idols besides Him, nor set up any human beings as lords beside ALLAH”” (Surah 3:64-emphasis added).
Combine this with what the Prophet says in Surah 9:5 and you will begin to see how serious Islam is when it comes to the question of its differences with the Christian faith: “Once the Sacred Months are past, you may kill the idol worshipers when you encounter them, punish them, and resist every move they make.”
That’s not to mention that the character and the attributes of the God of the Bible differ in many profound ways from the descriptions of Allah found in Islamic sacred texts. We could develop this theme at length, but perhaps you can already see that there is a vast difference between the Islamic and Christian concepts of the Supreme Being.
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The following article is the most clear and beautiful explanation of what has been happening to the places where we meet with GOD that I have ever read. It is a pleasure to present this to you. I pray that your heart will be blessed as these truths come before you.
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Recently, I found myself at a fairly typical community church for an educational event. It was a lovely occasion, bustling with the pleasant sight of young and old, families and children. I’m always grateful to see a church with substantial resources and facilities all well-kept. There was an extensive educational wing, a fellowship hall and sanctuary, and even a church cemetery—something I particularly admire, as it confesses the vital Christian hope in the resurrection of the body on the last day. I perused the facilities as is my custom when visiting churches, in search of unique architectural features or historical oddities, en route to contemplating what it all communicates theologically.
I wandered my way to the sanctuary. The doors were closed, but I went in anyway. Although the lights were off, there was enough sunlight penetrating the stained-glass windows that lined both walls, lending a colorful yet muted hue to the space. Towards the front of the sanctuary near the pulpit I noticed a sign, the words of which I couldn’t quite make out. To get a closer look, I walked down the center aisle, flanked by rows of finely crafted wooden pews on each side.
The sign read, “Worship Center this way,” with an arrow pointing out the side doors of the sanctuary. I was intrigued. The sanctuary looked to be in good working order, with pews and a pulpit, and stained-glass windows to boot. Was this sign directing people somewhere else for church services? I did some casual asking around, and learned that the congregation meets in their multi-purpose space which functions as their worship center and fellowship hall, while the traditional sanctuary sits unused, save for weddings and funerals (interesting that for events with such gravitas, the more traditional, sanctified space is used).
I share this little anecdote not to criticize this specific church, but for the broader questions it raises regarding the language we employ to talk about “church,” and what might get lost when that language changes. What is a worship center? What defines such a space? What words has the church used historically to describe its sacred spaces? Below are a series of word-pairings that explore this topic further and offer a starting point to reclaim the church’s lexicon of sacred space.
Worship Center or Nave?
I’ll start with the term that catalyzed this whole reflection: worship center. I can’t help but think of the similar lexical shift in recent years from library to media center—or the massive shopping centers, recreation centers, fitness centers, medical centers, and more that pepper the American landscape. Is this what we want people to subconsciously associate with church through the use of the term worship center? I fear that such language demotes and desacralizes church into the register of the everyday, and brings with it unintended overtones of something transactional and mechanistic.
But not only do we risk connoting the humdrum of the everyday with the usage of the term “center,” by coupling it with the word “worship” there are additional anthropocentric assumptions to address. This is because we often assume worship is primarily an act of man towards God. Humans are considered the main actors in worship, offering their honor and praise to God, individually with their hearts and minds. But as I’ve argued previously, this inverts the ancient worship paradigm in which God was understood as the primary actor in worship, delivering his Son’s gifts of forgiveness and life through Word and Sacrament which congregants gratefully receive by faith. Church is not a transactional exchange of human effort to praise and appease an egocentric god in the sky. Church is God’s service to mankind through the work of his Son, to whom we are united through the means of grace. The term worship center obscures this reality of what actually occurs in the church service. Reclaiming the historic term nave for the space where the promise-keeping God redemptively meets Man can reconnect us to a richer understanding of Christian worship and redemptive history.
Nave comes from the Latin navis, meaning ship, communicating that as Christians gather in the church, they enter the ark of salvation. This simple word ushers us into the story of redemption and connects us to one of Scripture’s clearest motifs: God’s working through water. In the Old Testament, it was the Spirit fluttering over the primordial creation-waters, and God’s judgment and deliverance through the waters of Noah’s Flood and Israel’s Red Sea crossing. In the New Testament, it was Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan with the Spirit-Dove fluttering and the Father’s voice pronouncing, leading to Christ’s call of his disciples as fishers of men, with accompanying nets and fish, boats and storms. The term nave ushers us into this world of God’s water-works and reminds us of our destiny as those united to Christ our Captain, rowing our way under his kingship from the watery grave of sin and death to the refreshing well-spring of living water and everlasting life.
Stage or Sanctuary?
At the front of the space where Christians gather, is what in today’s parlance is called the stage or the platform. This is an insipid and secularizing word choice, which reveals just how extensively church has come to parallel the world of performance and entertainment with vocabulary drawn right from the theater, arena, or concert hall. Is what we gather around at church simply a raised platform or stage? Or is there something other-worldly and eternal, world-renewing and life-altering that takes place when we gather in the Triune name? There are better terms in the church’s lexicon than stage or platform.
It is certainly true that throughout church history the specific terms, accoutrements, and furnishings of sacred space have changed somewhat as church architecture has evolved and denominations have multiplied. But one of the terms that has proven quite durable is sanctuary. Historically, the term sanctuary specifically referred to the defined area in the front of the church where the altar or communion table was located. Sometimes this is also called the chancel—especially today, since many Christians refer to the whole space where Christians gather as the sanctuary (I did so myself in the opening to this piece).
Coming from the Latin sanctus, or holy, the sanctuary is “the holiest space within the worship area.” And you can learn a lot about a church by what it places front and center. For much of church history, the prominent placing of the Lord’s Table in the sanctuary communicated the centrality of the Eucharist in the life of the church, and God’s activity through Word, bread, and wine. By recuperating the older usage of sanctuary or chancel for the specific space where God promises to be present through Word and Sacrament, we can regain a sense of wonder, awe, and sanctity around the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments, which helps return them to their rightful place in the Christian life.
Fellowship Hall or Parish Hall?
While this final pairing of fellowship hall and parish hall may seem nitpicky, words really do matter. Using the name fellowship hall for the area where people gather to share meals and play games implies, at least in some sense, that this is the location where fellowship takes place, and that the nature of fellowship is to enjoy each other’s company. However, Scripture provides a much deeper picture of fellowship. As Arthur Just explains in his Luke commentary and in The Ongoing Feast, when we see the word fellowship being used, or find meals being shared in the New Testament, there is more going on than people just eating food together. Fellowship, he argues, is actually “a manifestation of the eschatological kingdom;” it is “the table fellowship of Jesus,” which is a foretaste of the heavenly feast to come, that we only are able to share together in mutual faith (1-2). As such, fellowship (koinonia in Greek) is at its core participation and union with Christ, and unity with one another around his teaching. This is the thrust of much of koinonia’s New Testament usage, where fellowship is: “in the gospel” (Phil. 1:5); “of the Holy Spirit” (II Cor. 13:14, Phil 2:1); “of his sufferings” (Phil 3:10); “of the faith” (Philemon 1:6); “with the Father” (I John 1:3,6); “with one another” (I John 1:7).
But perhaps most significant of all is Paul’s use of koinonia in I Corinthians 10:16, where it refers to “participation in the blood of Christ” and “participation in the body of Christ.” Christian fellowship is not simply friendship or camaraderie; nor is it potlucks and game nights. It is not measured by the size of the spread at the latest luncheon, or the amount of people attending the next social event. Fellowship takes place around the Table of the Lord in a united confession, partaking of the body and blood of Christ—not around all-purpose tables, partaking of Aunt Betty’s green Jell-o salad.
While there might be several viable lexical alternatives to fellowship hall, it seems to me that the older term parish hall has a lot to offer. A simple dictionary definition is helpful: “a room or building associated with a parish church, used by the local community for social or charitable activities (though not necessarily religious activities).” This makes a clear distinction between the primary ministry of the church which takes place through the preaching of the Word and the administration of the sacraments—which constitutes true fellowship—and the numerous salutary auxiliary functions of the church that can take place in other church facilities and beyond.
How the Lexicon of Sacred Space Sticks: Teaching and Practice
There is much to gain from recovering the church’s lexicon of sacred space, with its long heritage and the theological weight and symbolism it carries. But just switching back to this older set of terms for sacred space and church facilities won’t make much of an impact unless it is accompanied by clear catechesis and embodied practice. If we don’t teach and practice such things, we’ll just find ourselves with another new set of measly terms in a generation or two.
Simple explanations of historic terms like nave, chancel, sanctuary, and many others connect us to the Christian story. Such deliberate teaching can start when children are young, and develop in complexity as we grow in the faith and in our understanding. Embodied practice also can start young, by modeling and reflecting in and with our own bodies what we say we believe is happening when we gather in Christ’s name. Orienting and moving our bodies with decorum, reverence, and respect helps molds us and forms us in the faith.
Of course, all of this is hard work; but it is also vital work. For we are either catechizing ourselves further towards our Christian identity and eternal destiny, or we are catechizing our way out. Recovering the lexicon and practice of sacred space has a role to play in enabling us “to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). Such a lexicon helps sanctify space for contemplation that births new insight, for silence that brings forth peace, for confession that resolves in forgiveness. We need these places of permanence where our human finitude encounters Divine life through water, Word, bread, and wine. We need times for transcendence where we are ushered into another world beyond digital evanescence and the everyday grind. So, next Sunday when you arrive at church, be transported into another world—the world of Christ’s kingdom, and start using the terms for sacred space that say so. Terms that communicate more clearly what actually happens when and where we gather in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit. And reflect in and with your body that we are in Christ’s personal and real presence as he has promised in Word and Sacrament.
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Parish churches could host multi-faith worship in battle to stay open
Listed Church of England buildings should transition from being just places of worships to ‘social hubs’ and a ‘community resource’ in order to survive, the report published by the Department of Culture Media and Sport is recommending.
With more than 12,000 CofE churches listed and attendance figures continuing to fall, locals groups are facing a battle to keep parish buildings, described as the ‘jewel in the crown of our built heritage’, open.
The report suggests the buildings be adopted by the whole community rather than just the dwindling congregations who attend them.
Bernard Taylor, who chaired the review panel including figures from the CofE and heritage bodies, told Christian Today parishes could look at the option of allowing multi-faith worship as he warned church buildings were not being used effectively.
‘Despite the hard work of many groups and volunteers around the country, they face complex problems of maintenance and repair, and are not always well used and supported,’ he said.
‘Increased use and helping communities in their broadest form to see the value and potential of the local church is the key to the church building becoming more self-sustaining and ultimately ensuring its long term survival,’ he added.
NO, this is not the answer!! It would be better to let the buildings crumble than to mix the precious with the vile. The pure with the mundane. This is NOT GOD’s WAY!! This is really what got Churches in trouble in the first place. Pastors and congregations falling into sin and thnking they can save themselves. The ANSWER IS TO TURN BACK TO GOD!! TO HAVE FAITH that GOD is in CONTROL. All these years of the college graduates teaching churches how to build megaChurches by catering to the masses. Don’t you see how wrong that was?? What we should have been doing is getting on our faces and seeking the infilling of the HOLY SPIRIT. We should have been listening for GOD who is well able to communicate to us what we should do. BUT MAN, wants to be SELF SUFFICIENT. As long as we insist on doing things our own way, God will allow it. How long will it take, and how far must we fall before we come to our senses?
Asked whether churches could look at hosting other religious services to help keep the buildings open, Taylor told Christian Today it was up to the local congregation.
‘Each case is different,’ he said. ‘I think that there are examples where multi-faith worship takes place. I think it is probably more difficult for some congregations.
‘It is for the local community [to decide].’ Indeed!
The report cites examples where churches are used to host cafes, playgroups, post offices and NHS services as well as for regular worship.
It urges the Church of England to continue simplifying complex laws around the use of buildings to allow them to act ‘both as a place of worship and a community resource’.
The Bishop of Worcester, John Inge, said churches are ‘not just places of worship for their communities: they are social hubs for people of all ages, spaces to offer hospitality and vital services to the vulnerable; churches increasingly are the glue in community life.
We do not want more government involvement in out places of worship. One of the major problems with churches in the USA is the 501c3 tax exemption. Churches come under government influence and/or control for money. This is a bad thing! IF churches start being post offices, or distributors of government aid, or housing projects, this gives the government more control. We need to go back to teaching and preaching the TRUTH of GOD and watch GOD move. HE is the provider! ALL good things come from HIM! Including your paycheck Pastor, no matter whose signature is on it. GOD WRITES YOUR PAYCHECK… that is true for EVERYONE. There is no LACK with GOD. If a Church is TRULY HIS CHURCH, HE WILL PROVIDE. If your church is struggling, get on your face. Look for where YOU are failing GOD!
While praising volunteers and church groups, he said the proposals would ‘help to protect their fabric and equip them to serve anew in the future’. BIG MISTAKE
He said: ‘The Review makes clear how churches and cathedrals are vital community assets in need of support nationally. We look forward to working with funding partners to put the proposals into place.’
If you can’t get your funding in your own area… shut your doors or cut your expenses. You probably built to big for the area to support. Cut back on the show… and build up the spiritual underpinings.
Heritage minister John Glen welcomed the report and promised to look carefully at the recommendations.
‘Our church buildings are a major part of our heritage and it is vital that they are cared for and protected. This report has shown how valued these buildings are and how many thousands of volunteers work so hard on their upkeep,’ he said.
So you have seen that the people love and support the church. So, what you need to do as a church is love and support the people. Fill them with TRUTH. Empower them spiritually to walk in FAITH. TEACH THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD. DO NOT ALIGN YOURSELF WITH THE UNGODLY! Buildings are not our heritage. Our heritage is the household of FAITH.
‘This review is an important first step to building a more sustainable future for thousands of church buildings across the country, and we will look at these recommendations carefully.’
With more than 12,000 CofE churches listed and attendance figures continuing to fall, locals groups are facing a battle to keep parish buildings, described as the ‘jewel in the crown of our built heritage’, open. The report suggests the buildings be adopted by the whole community rather than just the dwindling congregations who attend them.
The general population is struggling to survive. The Church is struggling because it has failed to PREACH THE TRUTH. WORDLWIDE. The church shut out the Holy Spirit because they could not control HIM. The clergy wanted to maintain control of the people this has been so throughout history. RELIGION is about CONTROL of the Masses. If a Church wants to survive, than it needs to preach the TRUTH. It needs to be lead by the HOLY SPIRIT who reveals ALL TRUTH. And it needs to hold fast to the REDEMPTIVE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST which is the only way to GOD!
St. Lydia’s Church has no pews, no altar, no vestments, no band or choir, and little formality of any kind. Instead, church means drums and chanting, with frequent references to Jesus; breaking bread and drinking communion grape juice; and a long, three-hour homemade vegetarian dinner punctuated by Bible readings, a sermon and frequent talk of what it means to be a young spiritual seeker in Brooklyn. The pastor is ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, but the members themselves range from atheist and agnostic to evangelical, Catholic and Episcopalian.
Believe me when I tell you that if all those people feel comfortable in your Church, then you are NOT preaching the TRUTH!! Demonic spirits cannot remain where the TRUTH of God is Preached and the Praises of GOD are sung in a spirit of honor and worship.
First of all Organized religion is all dead. There is no organized religion that teaches or preaches the the truth. She says she loved the liturgy… so she is a traditionalist who enjoys religion. The new worship center she describes is a free for all, a party. It is all about making people feel good. But, Church is about a place where humans can meet with GOD and get renewed by the Spirit and in their spirit. Where they can receive revelation, guidance, comfort from HIM. Though her new church breaks bread and has communion, I doubt very highly any of them truly understands what was purchased by the blood Jesus shed.
As fewer Americans identify with traditional religion and more people check the “none of the above” box when asked about their faith, a host of creative, nontraditional spiritual spaces are popping up across the country. They include religious communities that worship and mingle in bowling alleys and cocktail bars, or multi-faith worship centers that intentionally group Muslims, Jews and Christians together. Houses of worship are rebranding, too, hiring architects to design new campuses to appeal to the future faithful.
Wow, it was interesting the grouping of the MultiFaith center with the bowling alleys and cocktail bars… that is where they belong. That is what they are meeting places where the unsaved can commune and feel the spirit…There are many spirits you know. That is why God said to try the spirits:
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
You can experience a sense of peace in a Buddhist temple or sailing on a sailboat, or standing on the top of a mountain. But, that does not mean it comes from the HOLY SPIRIT of God. Even when you are in a Church, spirits can be affecting you, if you are not washed in the Blood and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift that was only provided by the sacrifice Jesus made at the Cross. The Holy Spirit is our guide, our comforter, he leads us to all truth, and HE ENABLES US TO STAND against all the works of the enemy. Without Him, we cannot even discern the spirits that are affecting us. Would you learn that at your Multi Faith Center – Certainly NOT!
Traditional churches still dominate the American landscape, but what religious space looks like is undergoing a subtle, gradual shift, with some of the most celebrated new religious communities arising in cities and college towns. The church steeple in the American town square hasn’t gone, but it’s got some company.
Don’t you know that the Devil HATES Church? Do you see that rebellious uprisings and Pagan governments burn down churches? Don’t you know that the DEVIL does not mind you communing together as long as you do not PREACH THE TRUTH?? Don’t you see that you are being DECEIVED??
“The declining participation of young people in formal religion has put pressure on religious leaders to try new things,” said Duke University sociologist Mark Chaves, author of the National Congregations Study, which in its latest 2012 survey found that 9.3 percent of American congregations met in a building other than a church, mosque, synagogue or school — a 1.5 percent increase over 14 years. “There has always been innovation happening in American religion, of course, and that continues today.”
Most all innovations in America have brought us down. Progress as seen by the world, has proven to be destructive.
Here are a few of the ways the future of faith is playing out in religious spaces.
The Coffee Shop Church
“I always wanted to start a coffee shop,” said Grimes. “Before I felt God wanted me to be a pastor, I had always viewed coffee and ministry as two separate things. If I was going to go into church life, I had to give up all my secular occupations.”
The two, it turned out, were not incompatible.
For six years, Grimes, 31, has run The Common Place Church, which operates like any other coffee shop on the weekdays, when it goes by Avenue 209 Coffee House, but on the weekends becomes a popular church.
“A lot of churches are now trying to retrofit their churches with coffee shops, to make them more friendly on Sunday. Our vision was to reverse that and have a church that meets in a coffee shop,” he explained.
Around 120 people show up each Sunday, split over three services, and worship in a 700-square-foot seating and stage area next to the coffee bar. Most are college students who go to Lock Haven University (we have already seen that college students have been indoctrinated to the MultiFaith agenda) . On the weekdays, the stage is reserved for local musicians. Worship has music, too, but it’s always to the tune of a guitar and drums.
So his congregants come into a secular coffee shop to worship before a secular stage upon which only God know what kind of music and what kind of spells are performed.
“My theology is that the church is the people, not a specific place,” Grimes said. “If the building is the obstacle, let’s remove the building and have church in a coffee shop. If you want to have a latte, you can have a latte each day and stay for church on Sunday.”
Who cares about HIS theology? What does GOD say..that is all that should matter. Are you come to worship God or Joshua Grimes? The building is not the problem, though most churches are unnecessarily ornate and costly to maintain, the SPIRIT is the problem. We Americans forget what it is like to come before a King. We have never had one, or anyone else we had to bow before. God should be reverenced and respected, honored and approached with care and decorum.
John 4:23-24 the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Multi-Faith Spaces
The Pico Union Project, as it’s now called, regularly hosts Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities for worship, with many of the groups meeting weekly. Among the groups that use the space are Kwang Yum and AE Yang — two Korean-American Christian worship communities — as well as Words of Encouragement, a largely black church. At least once a month, the nearly 400-person capacity space hosts events like the Triple D Havdallah Jam, a musical and spoken-word gathering to mark the end of the Jewish sabbath. Earlier this year, the Pico Union Project was the site of the first meeting of the Women’s Mosque of America.
Between religious events, the space — it has two floors, including a main floor with removable pews — has been the site of a Kirtan concert, the one-man play “Wrestling Jerusalem” and weekly open houses.
“Churches and synagogues across America are struggling because of diminishing congregations. Economically, it’s hard to keep the buildings open. If Jews pray primarily on a Friday evening or Saturday morning, and Christians pray on Sundays, then why not share the economic burden between the groups?” asked Taubman, 56, who worked in children’s music in the 1990s for Disney and more recently released a series of albums of Jewish spiritual music.
“I’m tired of the dialogue. I’m trying to create an actual practice,” he said of what happens in the space. “The only way to love your neighbor is to know your neighbor.”
Using proximity to build relationships is also behind the Tri-Faith Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska. The 35-acre campus, currently under construction, will feature a reform synagogue, an Islamic community center and mosque, and a United Church of Christ church all within a short walk of one another.
35 acre campus… You know MEGA CHURCHES have contributed immensely to the downfall of the church. Not only because they encourage the party atmostphere, but because they offered so much that had nothing to do with GOD but attracted young people looking for community and fellowship, thus pulling people from the smaller neighborhood churches. SO churches came to think they needed to be huge and have large buildings and out buildings and tons of parking, all of which cast MONEY.
A Community With No Permanent Home
He doesn’t think they’re less attracted to the faith, it’s rather that their needs have changed.
“There are a lot of people who are comfortable in synagogues, but there are many others who need to go to a place that is more familiar to them. If that’s a bar or hotel, so be it,” said Stanton.
Recently, he and Rabbi Ben Spratt of Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York’s Upper West Side started The Tribe, a monthly worship and social gathering of young Jewish professionals who live and work in the city.
Since September, they’ve hosted Shabbat services on Fridays, as well as Havdalah on Saturdays, in spaces ranging from bar basements to hotels and art galleries. In addition to drinks and music, the events also feature moments of silence, niggunim (Jewish ritual songs), kiddush cups, challah and shabbat candles. Participants lead the night’s festivities as often as the rabbis.
| Niggunim of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi. dveikus nigunim, usually without words, express individual Jewish meditation, soul searching and inward ecstasy in prayer. First generation of Chabad. Niggun of Four Stanzas. This melody is considered very holy and only sung on special occasions, including 19 Kislev and wedding ceremonies. Chabad is not even considered Jewish by most Jews. There is some question as to the spiritual aspects of this group as well as their moral conduct. So you can hardly call this a Jewish Ritual. |
“Sacred spaces are made by people who are gathered together for a meaningful experience,” Stanton said. “Our goal is to connect with people, not to recruit for our synagogues. It’s important simply to get people together — that’s the basis of the future of the Jewish world.”
First of all, I don’t believe for a second that is the basis for the future of the Jewish world. I am certain that the Jews behind this initiative/movement/Project are NEVER letting go of traditional Rabbinic Talmudic Kabbalistic Religion or their hope of Jews ruling the world while the rest of us kiss their feet and serve them.
I am sad that young people no longer know how to enter into worship. TRUE WORSHIP, to come into the PRESENCE OF GOD.
I converted to Judaism at one point in my life and lived as a Jew for seven years. During that time I felt so blessed to be in Synagogue. To participate in EXACTLY what Jesus did when He was on the earth. It was wonderful to experience the Reading of the Torah, the reverence the presence. Naturally, there are things that have become part of Jewish life that are not from GOD. I missed JESUS…though at that time I did not really fully understand who HE was and really all that He did for us. I got born again and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, my point is, that much has been lost from our spiritual life. We need to get it back, not move further away.
Redesigning The Traditional Worship Space
“Our original intent was to be the anti-church, punk-rock architects,” said Mel McGowan, founder and president of Visioneering Studios, which has offices in Seattle, Dallas, Denver, Charlotte, Nashville and Orange County. “We get back to the root of the world ‘ecclesia’ as the center of the community. The idea of Jesus saying that you, the people, are the temple.”
Oh my, NO! We are not to be part of the WORLD, we are to be SEPARATE. To separate the precious from the vile. The clean from the unclean. We are not looking to move in with the masses we are looking to bring the individuals out of the world and into GOD’s light.
Outside Washington, D.C., in Chantilly, Virginia, that meant converting a former Anheuser-Busch distribution center, dubbed the “Bud building,” into nZone, a 83,000-square foot sports complex that has three indoor soccer fields, two multi-use wooden courts, a gym and a “keg room” (a multifunction room where kegs used to be stored). New Life Christian Church has no permanent worship space, but the keg room is used for preschool worship, and hundreds of members gather on Sundays over three worship services on the sports center’s campus.
Seriously??? Sports is a pagan activity to worship pagan gods, so is drinking especially beer! And gymnasiums also to worship gods. These practices are ongoing in the same structure?? And they think God will receive their worship there??
In Austin, Texas, McGowan’s team designed “The For the City Center,” a former nursing home that’s been converted into a multi-use building in the city’s downtrodden St. John’s neighborhood. Local nonprofits have offices in the center, which is also used as a weekly meeting space for the Austin Stone Community Church
I live in Texas and I will tell you that Austin in the most ungodly town I know. Everytime I have to go there, I feel like I have set foot on another planet. College Town, space cadets!
In Denver, at the Stapleton International Airport, which was decommissioned to serve as the site of a new planned community, Visioneering designed a church in a former airport hangar.
“Even though we are asked to design and build walls, we are literally trying to blow up the walls,” said McGowan, who authored Design Intervention: Revolutionizing Sacred Space. “The theology of place is bigger than simply creating sacred space. In fact, the architect and author of the world that created all space intends all of it be to sacred.”
When He returns, maybe. But, right now. It ain’t the reality. EVIL is rampant. We are to be separated. We are to be the light in the darkness, The truth in the world that loves the lie. We will be hated and persecuted for HIS NAMES SAKE. To think that you can make all the world sacred with a program, is ridiculous. If you think you can bring all people together with man’s plans is ludicrous.
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The following is representative of what has been happening on our College/University campuses for many years now. At least since 2012 at this facility:
Multi Faith Center – Alamance County
Elon University’s Global Neighborhood is well on its way to becoming a reality on the college campus. This multi-faith center, which began being constructed in Spring 2012, is being developed with a specific goal in mind: to give students a comfortable space to practice their own religion, as well as learn of others’ religious and cultural views (Multi-faith Center). The buildings will be located on Elon campus, in the school’s Academic Village, resting on Lake Mary Nell.
The Multi-faith Center will be the sixth pavilion in Elon’s Academic Village, sitting alongside other centers including the Honors and International pavilions. All of these residential learning communities have a common objective of further engaging students outside of the classroom. The Global Neighborhood, in particular, will include numerous language-learning communities, all designed to stimulate students’ interest and involvement in different cultures and religions. These different communities will include La Casa de Español, La Maison Francaise, The Japanese House, La Casa Italiana, and Deutsches Haus, each focusing on the different customs of these societies. In the words of benefactor and Elon alum Edna Truitt Noiles, the mission for the center is “to enable Elon students to learn about their own and other faiths and to live lives of reconciliation”, (Multi-faith Center). With a variety of different cultures coexisting in one place, one can hope that Noiles’ aspiration will be a success.
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reconciliation – [ rek-uhn-sil-ee-ey-shuhn ] noun –
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The reconciliation that NEEDS to take place is the reconciliation between the lost and Our Father. That is what we need to focus on, as time is running out. We cannot bring peace to the world, but we can introduce the lost to the Prince of Peace who can deliver them. |
The Multi-Faith Center is a faculty-in-residence program, in which a broad variety of faculty will work closely with the students living in these residence halls. By “interacting with students in informal settings”, and “providing informal academic advising”, faculty will develop stronger relationships with their students (Teacher Scholar in Residence). Students will gain an intimate relationship with the faculty involved in the program, and learn about their backgrounds and beliefs. This provides and unfair advantage to these indoctrinators, students are young, on their own for the first time, vulnerable and seeking relationship. Are the parents, who are paying for their education, made aware that they predators will have such access to their children??
The new residential area will be 15,000 square feet, contain six buildings, and house roughly 600 students (Elon Commitment Construction Update). There will be a 30,000 square-foot commons building, which will hold the Isabella Cannon International Centre, (Elon’s focal resource for all international activity), as well as high-tech classrooms, faculty offices, study rooms, and other spaces for large assemblies (Elon Commitment Construction Update). The facilities will include a mediation room, sacred religious space, conference rooms, a learning lab, and an ablution room. A budding outdoor meditation garden will rest between the Multi-faith Center and the Gray Pavilion (Numen Lumen Pavilion).
| So, this is why our Government for many years has been bringing students over by the hundreds of thousands every year from foreign countries. Many of them are brought here at tax payers expense, their housed at tax payers expense and their tuition, books, housing, furnishings are provided at tax payers expense. Does the Government make the public aware of this, NO! These programs/projects are kept top secret. |
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ablution – ə-bloo͞′shən, ă-bloo͞′- noun
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| The phrase “Numen Lumen,” is Latin and can be translated to mean, “God, our light.” But, according to John Lathrop, who assisted in the creation of the motto, interpreted it to mean, “The divine within the universe, however manifested, is my light.” Source |
UNBELIEVABLE!! Our College/University campuses have become CULTS!! It’s like sending your children to the Hara Krishna’s!! Are you kidding. This is totally captive INDOCTRINATION!! It is an OUTRAGE! How has this been going on undetected all this time. It is no wonder our children are so screwed up, why crime is rampant, why there is no respect for parents or authority!! THIS MUST END! PARENTS DO NOT ALLOW YOUR KIDS TO ATTEND!!! Or, at least go to the schools and demand that this Multi-Faith indoctrination STOP!!! Sadly, at this point, many of the parents of College aged kids have passed through this indoctrination themselves… so it is continued and funded by the victims.
There are still multiple donation opportunities for benefactors who wish to invest in the Global Neighborhood. The building itself, sacred space, multi-purpose rooms, meditation room, conference room, classrooms, and ablution room are all in need of further funding (Multi-faith Center). Overall, there are about 2,100,000 dollars worth of investments that are available for naming opportunities (Multi-faith Center). Benefactors can be anyone from Elon alum, to people of the surrounding Elon or Burlington area.
CUT OFF THEIR FUNDING!! DON’T KEEP THIS PROGRAM RUNNING! IF YOU SUPPORT THEM FINANCIALLY YOU ARE ALIGNING YOURSELF SPIRITUALLY WITH THIS UNGODLY PROGRAM. IF YOU GET YOUR NAME ON A PLAQUE YOU ARE DECLARING YOUR PERMANENT ASSOCIATION WITH IT. THIS IS AN ACT OF REBELLION AGAINST GOD!!
The Multi-faith Center will not only be a place of religious tolerance for it’s residence, but also a group of buildings to be used by the entire Elon community. An international café, where all students and faculty are welcome to assemble and relax between classes, is being built as part of the Global Neighborhood (The Plan by Area). There will be a Global Neighborhood dining hall as well, overlooking the view of Lake Mary Nell (Neighborhood Dining Hall). The Multi-faith Center will hold lectures and classes such as the Global Experience for all incoming first-years in its facilities (The Plan by Area). Campus officials hope that the entire campus will enjoy the center.
The center is said to open in early 2013 and benefactors are very excited (Arcleri). Alum and benefactors alike hope that the center will achieve its goal of creating a tolerant and peaceful learning space. Janet Fuller, the Elon University chaplain, stated that, “ultimately we need to live together in order to understand each other” (Arcleri). This Global Neighborhood is being built in hopes of doing just that, bringing students together to understand one another.
There has never been a problem with multiple cultures living together in the United States. We have always welcomed people from all races, creeds and tongues. WE are the MELTING POT. Americans not only welcome and support those who come here to live peacefully, but we have historically sent out missionaries to share the Good News of the Gospel and the Love of God around the world, we have always cared for our fellow man who were suffering in their own lands. WE send out aid, training, building materials, medical care. We are always first to respond with emergency assistance when disaster hits anywhere in the world. We defend the weak and minister to the poor… at least that has been true historically. America is changing for the worse, and so is the world.
Our willingness to reach out and fellowship with all faiths is demonstrated by how quickly these devils have been able to establish their indoctrination sites. The good nature of the American people has been clearly established and the forces of evil love to take advantage.
OMAHA, Neb. — A groundbreaking was recently held as part of a Nebraska building project that will erect a church, synagogue and mosque side by side on the same property.
Temple Israel, the American Muslim Institute and Countryside Christian Church claim that they are being led by God to create the multi-faith location in Omaha.
“We believe that we are being led by our God to continue the journey started by Abraham and that we are all called to be a blessing to each other and our community,” the FAQ section of the Tri-Faith Initiative website outlines. I would like them to espound on what exactly they mean by “continue the journey started by Abraham”. Abraham would be rolling over in his grave to hear of what is happening today. People are returning to the world from which Abraham lead the people to escape.
It says that the effort combines the three because of their shared Abrahamic faith and their belief that they all worship the same God. THAT IS A LIE!
“Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share a monotheistic belief system,” the page explains. “Our traditions have many names for God and use several languages for our sacred texts, but we share a belief in the God of Abraham.” The WORD of GOD is not a “sacred text” written by men. Jesus is not a prophet. HE IS THE WORD OF GOD!! HE IS ALIVE!!! THE WORD OF GOD the HOLY SCRIPTURES ARE THE ONLY TRUTH. IT IS NOT A RELGION… IT IS RELATIONSHIP.
The “Tri-Faith Initiative” has been in motion since 2006, with Countryside Christian Church being the last to break ground. It held its ceremony on June 5.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment since entering into the Tri-Faith dialogue back in October 2013. It was a true leap of faith for the congregation to vote in support of relocation back then,” leader Eric Elnes told KMTV. “To see this day come is a dream coming together.”
Temple Israel opened its new $21 million dollar facility in 2013, and the American Muslim Institute completed its $7 million mosque in the spring, opening this month. A tri-faith center is also expected to be completed in 2019, and will be used for interfaith activities.
“Tri-Faith Initiative is already sponsoring activities including speaking engagements, a children’s program, shared holidays between congregations, an annual picnic, and others,” its website outlines.
“Our mission is not about compromising anybody’s faith,” Imam Mohamad Jamal Daoudi told CNN. “We are here to learn about each other and to live as neighbors with each other.”
While Countryside Christian Church, part of the United Church of Christ, already has a building 15 minutes away from the location, it said it wanted to join the effort because it liked the concept. Elnes said that the majority of his congregation voted for the move, while some reports state that the matter divided the assembly.
“We are moving simply because we fell in love with the vision of Tri-Faith,” he said.
While some laud the initiative as a peacemaking move, others have expressed concern. The Global Faith Institute, led by Dr. Mark Christian, a former Muslim turned Christian, has several posts on its website about the matter.
“The fundamental schism in Islam between Sunni and Shia is irreconcilable and has resulted in centuries of strife and violence within Islam. The idea that a mosque exists, that is open to both sects equally; in close physical proximity and partnership with Jews and Christians, makes this project a very appealing target for extremists of all stripes who might wish to make a statement using violence,” he opined. DO YOU SEE?? The Muslims can’t even get along with each other in their own land… Are you really falling for the lie that they want to get along with YOU?? SERIOUSLY? This is a ruse. To wipe out the faith of Christians. It is so so tragic that it is working.
The daughter of billionaire investor Warren Buffet, Susie Buffet, is stated to be one of the financiers of the project, according to the Kansas City Star. Buffet is a member of Countryside Christian Church.
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Frank Morris/KCUR
A mosque, a church and a synagogue go up on the site of an old Jewish country club …
It sounds like the setup to a joke — but it’s not. It’s actually happening in Omaha, Neb. The Tri-Faith Initiative may be the first place in history where these three monotheistic faiths have built together, on purpose, with the intention of working together.
Leaders Of Tri-Faith Initiative Discuss Their Dream Of A Shared Religious Space
The project has inspired some, and antagonized others.
In a tiny suburban section of Omaha, kids at Countryside United Church of Christ are singing Away in a Manger. They’re getting ready for the upcoming Christmas program.
Upstairs, in the church’s expansive, modern coffee shop, the Rev. Eric Elnes says this is going to be one of the congregation’s last Christmases at this location.
“We love our building. There is literally no good reason to move whatsoever, except to follow this Tri-Faith Initiative, which has really, absolutely moved our hearts,” Elnes says.
But the congregation will move — to a hilly, 38-acre plot bisected by a creek near the edge of Omaha. The church will sit in one corner, with a mosque in another, facing a beautiful new synagogue, built with stone quarried in Jerusalem.
“This is something God wanted us to do a long time ago, and we were completely blinded by doing other things,” says Aryeh Azriel, the rabbi at Temple Israel.
Azriel says Jews, Christians and Muslims have a history of working together here. On Sept. 11, he and his congregants helped protect one of the city’s mosques. When Temple Israel voted a decade ago to move to the suburbs, leaders envisioned a multiworship campus. Almost a micro do-over of the Middle East.
“It’s not a very good neighborhood in the Middle East, but Omaha is a unique place where those kind of relationships can exist,” Azriel says.
The American Muslim Institute, located in a small suburban office building, is the Islamic leg of the Tri-Faith stool. Karim Khayati helped establish it in part to promote interfaith cooperation.
“This is a challenging time, and I think it’s an invitation to work, and to love and to educate,” Khayati says. “And that’s what we’re doing.”
But this temporary mosque doesn’t attract many of Omaha’s 6,000 or so Muslims — or reflect the anxiety that some, like Bassim Al-Ebadi, feel about mixing religions.
“I believe it is not a good idea,” says Ebadi, who runs the Green Land Market, a Middle Eastern grocery in an Omaha strip mall. He worries Tri-Faith could backfire, damaging the city’s civil vibe.
“Maybe something happen like in Israel, like in Iraq, or like everywhere. And then, maybe they will bring all the problems to America,” he says.
Another immigrant, Mark Christian, who converted to Christianity from Islam, worries that setting up a place dedicated to promoting cooperation among Muslims, Christians and Jews could provoke terrorists.
“It is completely against the beliefs of Islam,” Christian says. “And it is going to set my community and my city of Omaha as a target.“
All the more reason that it feels right, says Doug Dushan, a member of Countryside Church. He says attacking the foundation of extremist, separatist, ideology isn’t just dangerous — it is exhilarating.
“It does reinforce that I think any development in any faith have happened against the grain,” Dushan says.
Similar initiatives are underway elsewhere. One in Berlin would house all three religions in a single building. Elnes, the minister at Countryside, says it’s part of a growing movement.
“Right now, worldwide, what we see when we look at the three Abrahamic faiths,” he says, “is that the progress end of all three of those faiths actually have more in common with each other than they may have in common with the extreme ends within their faith.”
Syed Mohiuddin agrees. A cardiologist, he heads the American Muslim Institute and is excited to complete the Tri-Faith campus, which should happen in the next few years.
“We’ll have music. We’ll have parties,” Mohiuddin says. “Food, food brings everybody together” — that is, after they work out the various dietary restrictions and hundreds of other small issues.
The name of the stream running through middle of the campus, for instance, is Hell Creek. Azriel wants that changed as soon as possible, but Mohiuddin likes the symbolism. So as members of the Tri-Faith Initiative coalesce around high ideals and a historic mission, the devil may still be in the details.
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Two UCC churches embrace members of multiple faiths
The theological discussion around the idea of multiple religious belonging, the concept of a person identifying with more than one faith, continues, and at an early point in the conversation there are many questions to be answered—such as what it means for Christianity. But the uncharted aspects of the topic aren’t slowing two United Church of Christ congregations from recognizing this growing trend. Embracing religious diversity is part of their cultures, extending their welcome to people of any faith.
Shadow Rock UCC in Phoenix, Az., and Westmoreland Congregational UCC in Bethesda, Md., are living examples that prove people find a sense of community in their congregations by extolling the virtues that Christ taught the world, starting with love.
“We practice hospitality, generosity and service. We’ll take our differences, concepts and theologies, and put them on the shelf and come together,” said the Rev. Ken Heintzelman. “There is only one rule: Love one another.”
Heintzelman, pastor of Shadow Rock UCC says his congregation has the values of inclusion and justice in its DNA. The church community is theologically open and understands that the faith journey is more than arriving at heaven by following the “correct” religion, Heintzelman explained.
“Those kinds of things can box groups and people in, and that’s just not who Shadow Rock is,” he said. “Our culture is about engaging the world. Multiple religious belonging is not a goal — it’s a reality.”
The Rev. Timothy Tutt believes it’s important to nurture the notion of multiple religious belonging within the church because “in short, that is the world we live in.”
“That is where the church is — to pretend otherwise is to ignore the world around us,” said Tutt, pastor of Westmorland Congregational UCC. “It is an honest recognition of the variety of flowers that bloom in God’s garden.”
Heintzelman was one of the presenters for a consultation on multiple religious belonging last month at the UCC’s national offices in Cleveland. The discussion, in partnership with the World Council of Churches, was one of the first global gatherings on the topic with a religious emphasis. Multiple religious belonging—sometimes referred to as double belonging or dual religious belonging—is a growing, but not a new, movement in which a person or families live across different faith traditions.
“The gathering is absolutely the beginning, and we have a lot more questions than answers,” Heintzelman said.
Tutt says he is interested in continuing conversations about multiple religious belonging, hoping to one day find authentic and inclusive language for rituals without diluting any particular faith. “I hope we don’t ‘dumb down’ any tradition, but seek to speak with honesty about our differences and similarities. I think we embrace the ‘messiness’ of diversity and the beauty and complexity,” he added.
Statisticians and researchers haven’t had a reliable method to track the number of people who consider themselves pluralistic, because most censuses only provide one option per person for a religious identity. But traditions merge, and dual belonging often increases when two people from different faiths marry and maintain their religious identities and raise their children in both faiths, celebrating the holidays and rituals of both religions.
Westmoreland UCC has several married and partnered Christian and Jewish couples, as well as couples who are Christian and Hindu, and Christian and Jain. Several of the congregation’s members identify themselves as religiously pluralistic. The same is true at Shadow Rock UCC, which has performed interfaith marriages, with some members who identify as Catholic, Jewish and even Atheist.
What these religiously diverse groups share in common is that they seek a sense of community, and they find it these two UCC congregations.
“Because church has been identified as an exclusive space, a closed community, people feel they need to tell us, ‘I’m Jewish,’ or, ‘I’m Buddhist,’” Heintzelman said. “Be who you are, because you are a human being. That’s what we care about… The deeper we go in our own faith, the more extravagant our welcome becomes.”
In order to faithfully ground itself in Christianity while being inclusive of other traditions, Tutt outlined a multi-tiered approach his congregation has used that is founded on principles of love and kindness.
“First, we look at the scriptures of our tradition — stories such as Esther and Ruth from the Bible that are interreligious, or the story of the Ethiopian eunuch. We explore the positive moments of the Biblical narrative in regard to interreligious relations,” he said. “Second we look at our own denomination heritage — the stories of our four strands coming together — Congregationalist, Christian, Evangelical and Reformed. And we say, if we could bridge those divides with our ‘first cousins,’ how we do bridge the divides with those further from us in the family tree? Third, we look at the world around us and we talk to interreligious households and neighbors and we hear what connections they are finding and living out.
“Overall, we root ourselves in an ethic of love and grace and kindness — the Jesus ethic,” Tutt said.
Tutt is convinced that the UCC tradition of open-mindedness and theological curiosity makes the denomination unique in exploring multiple religious belonging. “If we really believe that God is still speaking,” he added, “then we should listen for her words that are even more embracing than we’ve previously imagined.”
Well, there you go. That final sentence says it all. God, the Creator, The God of the Bible, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Our Heavenly Father is not a HER!! This pastor does not even worship the God of the Bible though he professes to. He is a liar. He is deceived and he is deceiving people.
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Our Mission and Vision
First thing that caught my eye was the thing on the wall behind them in the above pic. It looks like an angel. Fallen Angel… I snipped it and enlarged it. You can see a crescent shape at the top perhaps a steers skull with horns that forms it. You can also see other figures or symbols going down the central pillar. This group seems to be a mixture of cultures, religions and occult magic.
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UNITY DIVERSITY EQUITY EQUALITY
I am you and you are me. Let us remember our oneness. There is no separation in spirit. There is a Golden Thread that connects all of us and when we are kind and serving of one, we are kind and serving to all.
Let us have a grateful heart, integrity in action and purity of intent in all we think, say and do.
That is a lovely sentiment…and that is all it is. There is no truth in it. Though God Created Adam and Eve who are the ancestors of all God’s children, we who are his all have the same blood. That is why we feel a strong connection to all people around the world. However, there are others, who are not God’s seed. They are the seed of their father the Devil. They are meant for evil and not for good. They cannot and will not ever come to Christ. We have NO fellowship with them. We cannot discern them from God’s children, they look just like us. God will sort us all out in the end. That is what God’s word says:
Matthew 13:24-30 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
VISION
The All Faith Center We see a sacred safe space for individual & groups to walk the Labyrinth, pray together, share spiritual journeys, and learn from one another. We encourage spiritual leaders from all traditionsto hold workshops and seminars here. The Labyrinth is open to all. We honor all faith traditions, cultures, humanists, and more. All are Welcome Here.
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What Is Interfaith?
The Interfaith movement is dedicated to increasing the dialogue between people of all faiths so as to bring a heightened awareness of how similar people are to others from different faiths and to increase the trust between people and create a greater peace in the world. We are here to honor all faith paths,celebrate humanity’s oneness, to educate the public about the world’s religionsand to sow the seeds of peace, kindness and cooperation throughout the world. The All Faith Center whose doors are open to all, has previously provided a multi-faith sacred place to come for worship, dialogue and learning.It is now searching for a physical location in the San Diego region to create a 7-day a week environment where people from various faiths can meet for a variety of worship services, classes and casual dialogue.Interfaith centers throughout the world believe: There is one God, called by many names,the Spirit of which is in every person and we are all interconnected with each other.We accept all people as equal who treat all people as equal. We respect the sanctity of all life.We affirm the truth in all faiths and religious paths and learn from each.We affirm our belief that seeking attunement to God/Spirit is the highest goal of conscious living.We affirm an inclusive vision of “We.”We affirm the essential goodness of the human being.We affirm that each person, indeed all life, is a part of the healing of the world. We affirm the value of Interfaith interactions as enriching our awareness of God/Spirit in the world.
The All Faith Center is a member of POINT Interfaith Team. We invite you to join and be a part of our interfaith community. We are friends, family and many faiths.
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Everyone is welcome to walk our Labyrinth on their own time and pace.
It is a walking meditation. As we walk, we are open and receptive to Divine Ideas, our Divine Purpose and Divine Transformation.
A labyrinth is a sacred geometrical symbol with a single path leading to a center point.
It is not a maze because there is only one path. The walls keep you on the path.
The goal is in the center of the labyrinth. When you reach it, you have gone half the distance – you now need to turn around and walk back out.
Its unique pattern is designed to shift awareness from left brain to right brain as you walk, inducing a heightened state of consciousness.
It allows those who enter to experience other ways of “seeing.”The center point is the place of power. A labyrinth is a single path or uni-cursal toolfor personal,
psychological and spiritual transformation.Labyrinths are thought to enhance right brain activity.
In a most basic sense, the labyrinth represents the spiritual journey; that of venturing to the center of your innermost being and then returning to the world with a broader sense of who you are.
It is a metaphor for life’s journey. Inherent within the design of the labyrinth is its archetypical power, dating back some 3,000 to 4,000 years.
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| Sacred Events | Burning Bowl and White Stone Ceremonies | Full Moon Walks |
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Labyrinths, New Age occult prayer walks, and demonic prayer labyrinths are entering Christian churches in North America. So what is a labyrinth? Labyrinths are pagan instruments used as occult gateways into the supernatural. Most think of a labyrinth as a maze that’s easy to get lost in with winding paths and dead ends.
A Labyrinth is different than a maze because it is a winding path. For the spiritually discerning the Labyrinth is nothing more than occult paganism masquerading itself as another form of Christian prayer.
The prayer Labyrinth, also known as a meditation Labyrinth, is used for prayer, religious, mystical rituals, initiations, and for spiritual growth say New Age disciples. Labyrinth prayer walks are not biblical nor should they be used within the Christian faith. Those that teach their use offer them as “another type of prayer, or prayer in motion.”
We are not talking about a Christian praying to the God of the Bible while walking down the sidewalk. No, this is occult spiritualism. To New Age disciples, a Labyrinth represents the “path of life.” As one travels the Labyrinth’s path of life, it leads their walk to the center of an intricate designrepresenting the center of oneself then exiting along the same path. A prayer or meditation Labyrinth only has one route or a single path. Again, unlike the maze, a Labyrinth is designed with one destination and is impossible to get lost within.
THE LABYRINTH SOCIETY
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According to the Labyrinth Society, their vision is to “activate and facilitate the transformation of the human spirit.” They also use the prayer Labyrinth as “a personal practice for healing and growth, a tool for community building,an agent for global peace, and a metaphor for life.”
These Labyrinth groups offer workshops about the Labyrinth for “divine imprint, mystical tradition, as a sacred path and gateway.” It’s surely a gateway, an occult gateway and used by New Age practitioners to transcend into an altered state of consciousness. In that state, they believe in becoming one with the divine universe. After one’s “centering,” they can exit the Labyrinth to take their newly found spiritual awakening and revelation to the world.
Those promoting prayer and meditation Labyrinths wrongly use a Catholic cathedral, not bible scripture, as historical precedent for their use because the medieval “Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres” outside Paris, France has a prayer Labyrinth. Chartres removes their sanctuary chairs once a month exposing its Labyrinth on the floor to attract pilgrims that walk the Labyrinth with their heads bowed in prayer.
THREE STAGES OF AN OCCULT PRAYER WALK
The prayer Labyrinth path has three stages – the inward journey, the center, and the outward journey.
1. The first stage is the “inward journey.” In the first stage or journey of the prayer walk within the Labyrinth, one forgets about their particular roles in life such as mother, father, wife, husband, teacher, carpenter, and enters the path meditating on the words “I am.”Psychologist Helen Schucman wrote “The Course in Miracles” in 1965. She said the material came from an “inner voice.” The book is full of Gnostic heresies. The course teaches such things as, “The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself. God’s Name is holy but no holier than yours. To call upon His Name is to call upon your own.” This demonic “you are a god or another I Am” teaching is consistent within New Age circles.
Trojaborg LabyrinthsTrojaborg Labyrinths The Trojaborg labyrinth is the earliest known type of labyrinth. It dates back to the Bronze Age (about 3,000-4,000 years ago). The Trojaborg labyrinths are built of several hundred stones laid in a certain pattern (either 7 circuit or 11 circuit patterns). These stone-lined labyrinths are found in large numbers in Scandinavia. Most of them in Sweden, where more than 300 Trojaborg labyrinths have been recorded, old as well as more recent examples, preserved or less complete. In Denmark, there are around 20 modern copies of the Trojaborg stone labyrinths today; however, no historic ones have survived. The reason for this may be that the Danish soil is too rich. The stones may have been removed long ago or have simply disappeared due to lack of maintenance. The stone-lined Trojaborg labyrinth is a so-called unicursal labyrinthThere are 2 distinctive basic types (according to pattern): Common to both types are that when you have reached the goal in the centre,  Why is it called a Trojaborg?The name Trojaborg dates back about 2500 years ago. First, it should be mentioned that many labyrinths were named after destroyed cities, such as Jericho, Jerusalem, Babylon, Lisbon or Troy. All of these places were besieged and conquered or otherwise destroyed. This is quite interesting in itself, however, in the Homeric legends of the city of Troy, one should also remember the story of ”Helen of Troy”. Helen of Troy was to be found inside and then taken from the fortress. The Nordic examples of the so-called ”jungfrudans” (Maiden’s Dance) labyrinths can be seen as a parallel to this story. According to the Nordic labyrinth legend, a maiden is placed in the centre of the Trojaborg labyrinth. It was then the young man’s task to enter the labyrinth and rescue her. A different and probably better explanation is that the word “Troja” might derive from the old Norse word ”at vende / at dreje”. It thus refers to the many turns in the labyrinthine pattern. In Germany, labyrinths are also called Zauberkreis, Windelbahn or Wendeberg.  The Cretan Labyrinth TypeThe Trojaborg is also called the Cretan type; because the same pattern has been found on coinage from the island of Crete dated around 500 to 100 BC. The oldest securely datable labyrinth symbol so far discovered is inscribed on a clay tablet. It was found in the ruins of the Mycenaean palace at Pylos in southern Greece, around 1200 BC, in the Bronze Age. On the other side of the clay tablet was a datable text. So the Trojaborg motive was evidently well-known in Southern Europe. However, it is quite remarkable that there are no stone labyrinths in the Greek, Cretan or Southern European world. The stone-lined Trojaborg labyrinths are only found in Northern Europe, and mainly in Scandinavia. That’s why Scandinavia is called the classical area for stone-lined Trojaborg labyrinths. However, labyrinths were indeed known in Classical Greece: from rock carvings, and in the Greek myths and legends.  The Magic Trojaborg LabyrinthMost of the Trojaborg labyrinths in the Nordic countries are not older than 900 years, and have thus been built in Christian times. However, the stories about their purpose and uses are connected with old pagan faith. Especially people who were particularly exposed to the hazards of nature seemed to have continued to practise their old faith in the labyrinths. In many areas in Finland and Sweden, labyrinths were built and used by people who believed these twisting and winding paths would help them to overcome different difficulties. At several places, these pagan customs have survived into our own century. Fishermen probably used labyrinths for protection against the perils of the sea, and probably also to increase their catch. They believed that the “little people” could bring bad luck to the fishing, and that using the labyrinth would scare the evil gnomes and give protection against the evil. Lapps and shepherds have used labyrinths for protections against wolves and wolverines, and it seems as if labyrinths have also been used as protection against other threats and as a remedy for mental illness. In fact, they seem to have served a multitude of different magic purposes. According to local tradition among the people living in the northern Swedish archipelago, a stone labyrinth brings happiness to anyone who succeeds in walking through the twisting path without displacing any of the stones. That’s why it is important to follow the path of the labyrinth to the centre and out again. If one can manage that, it will bring good luck and success, but bad luck will follow if one jumps over the stone walls. Modern use
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Using a prayer mantra or Sanskrit is paganistic. Christians don’t use chanting or repetitious prayers to get God to hear them. The Apostle John did not teach Labyrinth prayer walks. He taught disciples to pray with confidence according to Christ’s will. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).
Jesus taught against prayer mantras. “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 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. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:5-8).
This type of meditation is wrongly used to empty the mind of all negative thoughts that would hinder their approach to God. Along the path, the secret meaning of life is discovered. As Christians, we know there is only one “I Am that I Am” and that is Christ Jesus the only begotten son of the living God. We are not to empty the mind but to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37).
2. The second stage is “the center.” Here you “achieve emptiness within.” To the New Age practitioner, this is the place of “inner silence, stillness, waiting’s, and expecting nothing but the infilling of love.” The center of the Labyrinth is for meditative prayer, stillness, and peace. Again, the goal is to connect with the divine. “Union” with the divine universe is the very definition of Yoga. New Age teachers know “centering” is a tool to discover the divine self. At the center, they believe for divine revelation. What they find are demonic familiar spirits.
People are deceived into thinking the Labyrinth path leads them closer to Christ. Christians should understand that revelation is given by the will of the Holy Spirit only, not by meditation Labyrinths. You can’t make the Holy Spirit give you anything through occult rituals or Labyrinth prayer walking. The Apostle Paul wrote, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3).
3. The third stage is the “outward journey.” The theme of the outward journey is a relationship with self and others and the divine union with the universe, to feel at one with God, neighbor, self, and nature. (All the oneness terminology is Hinduism.) Along the outward journey, one travels out of the Labyrinth to share his or her newly discovered spiritual mysteries.
Calvin Presbyteian Church’s Prayer Labyrinth
Calvin Church’s labyrinth is a six-circuit design called an Abingdon Octagonal. The pattern is adapted from a medieval manuscript labyrinth, and it was made with a simple border of Old Country Stone and a gravel path. The labyrinth is open to all to use. The church simply asks for everyone’s cooperation in keeping the area clean and accessible.
“The Society” also teaches Prayer Labyrinths as a “sacred geometry” that helps open the heart. Again, a Christian does not need a geometric walking path to open their heart to Christ. Some Labyrinths are very sophisticated with four quadrants representing the four seasons, four pathways, and even four directions. Christians should know they can never find true transformation in the center of a prayer Labyrinth no matter how intricate the design.
The only way to transformation is repenting of your sin, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and renewing your mind with the Word of God. Scriptures lay out the plan of salvation. “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:8-10). These New Age Labyrinth groups are deceived by trying to “develop new ways of worshipping that connect more effectively with the growing numbers of people disaffected by the church.” Labyrinth walking does not come out of the teachings of Christ but out of paganism. History supports its use coming from ancient Babylonia. The clay tablet above is an image of a Babylonia Labyrinth dating 2000-1700 BC.
LINK: 
Religious, even occult rituals, like Labyrinth prayer walking, will not lead you closer to Christ. Nor will they help you receive spiritual enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. These demonic rituals only serve to promote New Age occult mysticism.
Yes, prayer is part of the Christian faith. It is communication with the Father through the Son. Prayer is personal and intimate and part of every Christian’s faith. Scripture says, “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Labyrinths are pagan. They come in various circular geometric designs symbolizing the universe. They are used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism as aids to meditation. Some suspect they were brought to the Western world by the grandfather of the New Age movement Dr. Carl Jung. Associated with the Labyrinth is the double-bladed ax known as a labrys. The labry is a goddess emblem. The spiral Labyrinth shape is also a goddess symbol wrote Joseph Campbell in “The Mask of God: Primitive Mythology.”
Hindu Labyrinth
The prayer Labyrinth is nothing more than a fancy Ouija Board marketed to gain wisdom and hidden mysteries of life but is nothing more than a portal for demonic influence. To use pagan rituals in a Christian context is wrong.
Again, mediation Labyrinths are spiritual gateways and portals for demonic entry. Familiar spirits are glad to accompany those on the journey. Stay away from the New Age prayer Labyrinth. Remember, the Labyrinth represents the coiled snake goddess (Acts 16:16).
Finally, dear friends of Christ I ask you to stand with me against these New Age spirits entering the Church of God and trying to take our children captive.
(c) Apostle Jonas Clark
Discover how the New Age prayer Labyrinths are used as occult gateways into the supernatural and why they are not a part of the Christian faith. Labyrinths, New Age occult prayer walks, and demonic prayer labyrinths are entering Christian churches in North America. So what is a labyrinth? Labyrinths are pagan instruments used as occult gateways into the supernatural. Most think of a labyrinth as a maze that’s easy to get lost in with winding paths and dead ends.
A Labyrinth is different than a maze because it is a winding path. For the spiritually discerning the Labyrinth is nothing more than occult paganism masquerading itself as another form of Christian prayer.
The prayer Labyrinth, also known as a meditation Labyrinth, is used for prayer, religious, mystical rituals, initiations, and for spiritual growth say New Age disciples. Labyrinth prayer walks are not biblical nor should they be used within the Christian faith. Those that teach their use offer them as “another type of prayer, or prayer in motion.”
We are not talking about a Christian praying to the God of the Bible while walking down the sidewalk. No, this is occult spiritualism. To New Age disciples, a Labyrinth represents the “path of life.” As one travels the Labyrinth’s path of life, it leads their walk to the center of an intricate design representing the center of oneself then exiting along the same path. A prayer or meditation Labyrinth only has one route or a single path. Again, unlike the maze, a Labyrinth is designed with one destination and is impossible to get lost within.
THE LABYRINTH SOCIETY
According to the Labyrinth Society, their vision is to “activate and facilitate the transformation of the human spirit.” They also use the prayer Labyrinth as “a personal practice for healing and growth, a tool for community building, an agent for global peace, and a metaphor for life.”
These Labyrinth groups offer workshops about the Labyrinth for “divine imprint, mystical tradition, as a sacred path and gateway.” It’s surely a gateway, an occult gateway and used by New Age practitioners to transcend into an altered state of consciousness. In that state, they believe in becoming one with the divine universe. After one’s “centering,” they can exit the Labyrinth to take their newly found spiritual awakening and revelation to the world.
Those promoting prayer and meditation Labyrinths wrongly use a Catholic cathedral, not bible scripture, as historical precedent for their use because the medieval “Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres” outside Paris, France has a prayer Labyrinth. Chartres removes their sanctuary chairs once a month exposing its Labyrinth on the floor to attract pilgrims that walk the Labyrinth with their heads bowed in prayer.
THREE STAGES OF AN OCCULT PRAYER WALK
The prayer Labyrinth path has three stages – the inward journey, the center, and the outward journey.
1. The first stage is the “inward journey.” In the first stage or journey of the prayer walk within the Labyrinth, one forgets about their particular roles in life such as mother, father, wife, husband, teacher, carpenter, and enters the path meditating on the words “I am.” Psychologist Helen Schucman wrote “The Course in Miracles” in 1965. She said the material came from an “inner voice.” The book is full of Gnostic heresies. The course teaches such things as, “The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself. God’s Name is holy but no holier than yours. To call upon His Name is to call upon your own.” This demonic “you are a god or another I Am” teaching is consistent within New Age circles.
Using a prayer mantra or Sanskrit is paganistic. Christians don’t use chanting or repetitious prayers to get God to hear them. The Apostle John did not teach Labyrinth prayer walks. He taught disciples to pray with confidence according to Christ’s will. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).
Jesus taught against prayer mantras. “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 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. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him” (Matthew 6:5-8).
This type of meditation is wrongly used to empty the mind of all negative thoughts that would hinder their approach to God. Along the path, the secret meaning of life is discovered. As Christians, we know there is only one “I Am that I Am” and that is Christ Jesus the only begotten son of the living God. We are not to empty the mind but to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37).
2. The second stage is “the center.” Here you “achieve emptiness within.” To the New Age practitioner, this is the place of “inner silence, stillness, waiting’s, and expecting nothing but the infilling of love.” The center of the Labyrinth is for meditative prayer, stillness, and peace. Again, the goal is to connect with the divine. “Union” with the divine universe is the very definition of Yoga. New Age teachers know “centering” is a tool to discover the divine self. At the center, they believe for divine revelation. What they find are demonic familiar spirits.
People are deceived into thinking the Labyrinth path leads them closer to Christ. Christians should understand that revelation is given by the will of the Holy Spirit only, not by meditation Labyrinths. You can’t make the Holy Spirit give you anything through occult rituals or Labyrinth prayer walking. The Apostle Paul wrote, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3).
3. The third stage is the “outward journey.” The theme of the outward journey is a relationship with self and others and the divine union with the universe, to feel at one with God, neighbor, self, and nature. (All the oneness terminology is Hinduism.) Along the outward journey, one travels out of the Labyrinth to share his or her newly discovered spiritual mysteries.
“The Society” also teaches Prayer Labyrinths as a “sacred geometry” that helps open the heart. Again, a Christian does not need a geometric walking path to open their heart to Christ. Some Labyrinths are very sophisticated with four quadrants representing the four seasons, four pathways, and even four directions. Christians should know they can never find true transformation in the center of a prayer Labyrinth no matter how intricate the design.
The only way to transformation is repenting of your sin, believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and renewing your mind with the Word of God. Scriptures lay out the plan of salvation.”The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:8-10). These New Age Labyrinth groups are deceived by trying to “develop new ways of worshipping that connect more effectively with the growing numbers of people disaffected by the church.” Labyrinth walking does not come out of the teachings of Christ but out of paganism. History supports its use coming from ancient Babylonia. The clay tablet above is an image of a Babylonia Labyrinth dating 2000-1700 BC.
Prayer and meditation Labyrinths are all across the country like Grace Cathedral (Episcopal) in San Francisco; Trinity Episcopalian in Santa Barbara, CA; Christ the King Lutheran in Torrance, CA; St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston; the Church of St. Andrew in Marblehead, MA; Resurrection Lutheran in Dublin, CA; Peace Lutheran in Austin, TX; Holy Trinity Lutheran in Hickory, NC; and Peace Lutheran in Danville, CA, among other congregations. They are also being promoted within the Emergent Church and New Age groups.
A Christian does not need a prayer Labyrinth for prayer answers or to find God. Scripture declares, “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
As already said, there is nothing wrong with walking down the street of your city in prayer. Using a prayer Labyrinth is very different. Hinduism teaches that life is on a path and to some, the Labyrinth is a model of that path. So for New Age practitioners a Labyrinth meditation walk is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with an enlightened awareness of who you are. The Apostle Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Nowhere in Scripture did the apostles teach disciples to find themselves in a prayer Labyrinth. Jesus instructed his disciples to die to self-saying, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 16:25).
Religious, even occult rituals, like Labyrinth prayer walking, will not lead you closer to Christ. Nor will they help you receive spiritual enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. These demonic rituals only serve to promote New Age occult mysticism.
Yes, prayer is part of the Christian faith. It is communication with the Father through the Son. Prayer is personal and intimate and part of every Christian’s faith. Scripture says, “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
LABYRINTH WALKERS SEEKING SIGNS AND WONDERS
This generation seeks after signs and wonders, hidden meanings, mystical experiences, something magical, even spectacular orphic experiences. They are “bored with the old traditional approach of Christian services.” They want something more. They want an experience. Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them that believe.” (Mark 16:17). Signs and wonders follow the believer; the believer does not follow after signs and wonders.
Biblical signs and wonders are confirmations to the resurrection of Christ whom after His ascension now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the saints. “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33). Seeking supernatural experiences is dangerous and provides an opportunity for demon spirits. All supernatural experiences, no matter how real, need to be tested. Scripture declares, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
I was taught several different ways to teach the Bible including, topical where we discuss certain topics; expository, this is a verse by verse study; and Holy Spirit led where you just flow with the Holy Ghost. Today I see preachers and teachers using experiences with little to no mention of Scripture. This is dangerous. For disciples of Christ to discern supernatural experiences they must know the Word of God. As already said, experiences, no matter how supernatural, must be judged against the written Word of God. To “try” means to put to the test for biblical accuracy.
The Bible is your only measure of truth. Without it, you would be easily deceived. Scripture declares, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”(Hebrews 4:12). Christ’ disciples asked him to teach them to pray. Nowhere do we see Jesus draw out a Labyrinth prayer path. Here is what Christ taught. “After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9-13).
OCCULT PAGAN ROOTS
Labyrinths are pagan. They come in various circular geometric designs symbolizing the universe. They are used chiefly in Hinduism and Buddhism as aids to meditation. Some suspect they were brought to the Western world by the grandfather of the New Age movement Dr. Carl Jung. Associated with the Labyrinth is the double-bladed ax known as a labrys. The labry is a goddess emblem. The spiral Labyrinth shape is also a goddess symbol wrote Joseph Campbell in “The Mask of God: Primitive Mythology.”
Episcopal priest Lauren Artress wrote “Walking A Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool.” She says, “Walking the Labyrinth has reemerged today as a metaphor for the spiritual journey and a powerful tool for transformation. This walking meditation is an archetype, a mystical ritual found in all religious traditions. It quiets the mind and opens the soul. Walking a Sacred Path explores the historical origins of this divine imprint and shares the discoveries of modern-day seekers. It shows us the potential of the Labyrinth to inspire change and renewal, and serves as a guide to help us develop the higher level of human awareness we need to survive in the twenty-first century.”
The prayer Labyrinth is nothing more than a fancy Ouija Board marketed to gain wisdom and hidden mysteries of life but is nothing more than a portal for demonic influence. To use pagan rituals in a Christian context is wrong. Jehovah says, “These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place” (Deuteronomy 12:1-3).
Again, mediation Labyrinths are spiritual gateways and portals for demonic entry. Familiar spirits are glad to accompany those on the journey. Stay away from the New Age prayer Labyrinth. Remember, the Labyrinth represents the coiled snake goddess (Acts 16:16).
Finally, dear friends of Christ I ask you to stand with me against these New Age spirits entering the Church of God and trying to take our children captive.
(c) Apostle Jonas Clark
www.jonasclark.com
CLOSING STATEMENT
I will tell you what, our enemies learned one very valuable lesson on war. It is easier and less messy to take a nation down from within. America is being destroyed without a single enemy shot fired!!
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