A FURTHER UNVEILING OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD RESOLUTION 3 & THE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:
Also see Part 1: “Commentary: Assembly of God (AOG) General Council to Vote on Resolution Against Israel ” and Part 2: “Dr. George Wood Responds to Lighthouse Trails Article on AoG Resolution 3 and Israel”
By Cedric Fisher
Truth Keepers
When I wrote my commentary on July 28th about
the Assemblies of God Resolution 3, which will be voted on during the
57th Assemblies General Council (August 7-11th)
in Anaheim, California, I was quite unprepared for the firestorm that
ensued.(1) I was especially surprised by George Wood’s response.(2)
Remember that when Ruth Haley Barton (who is a
powerful advocate for the New Age practice of contemplative prayer) was
invited to speak at the AoG General Council in 2013, Dr. Wood defended
the decision.(3) Furthermore, he has never expressed any public
reluctance or regret in inviting Rick Warren (who promotes unity with
the Catholic Church and contemplative practices) to speak at previous
General Councils or this upcoming one. Rick Warren is also a signer of “A Common Word” Christian Response,
a document where Christian leaders ask for forgiveness from “the
All-Merciful One” (a Muslim term for Allah) and essentially say that the
Christian God and Allah are the same God.(4) While Dr. Wood has been
blasé and silent about Rick Warren, Mark Batterson (creator of the
Circle Maker heresy),(5) and Priscilla Shirer(6) (popular contemplative
speaker and author) speaking at the 57th General Council, he lost his
composure regarding my commentary about Resolution 3. What was he so
frantic about? Why did he expose himself as imperious and acerbic? Dr.
Wood’s reaction indicates there might be more to the story. After
further research, I believe there is indeed behind-the-scenes
information that needs to be brought forth.
Reformed Theology Activists and Their View of Israel
During this past week, after my commentary was
released by Lighthouse Trails, I have spent hours digging through the
Internet, reading documents, and talking to people, some of whom have
had first-hand experience within AoG regarding the matters at hand. As a
result, I have come to the conclusion that the Assemblies of God
denomination is dangerously compromised with so-called “justice and
peacemakers” that adhere to Replacement Theology (Supersessionism).(7)
These “peacemakers” are in virtually every position of influence in the
AoG including leadership at the national level, universities, colleges,
seminaries, and missions. Their basic belief can be summed up as
follows: The Israeli claim to Palestine as a Jewish State by divine
right is incorrect, and their continued enforcement of this claim is
unjust.
Resolution 3 (R3) is being supported by
Replacement Theology activists (as has been documented in my previous
commentary, in the pursuing response article by Lighthouse Trails, and
will be further documented in this article). In essence, the resolution
is anti-Zionist, which in itself stems from the age-old spirit of hatred
for the Jews). Whether these activists realize this or not, this is
disguised anti-Semitism.
Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries explains:
Anti-Zionism is just anti-Semitism in new,
sophisticated clothes. Whereas anti-Semitism sought to drive out the
Jews from the lands where they lived, anti-Zionism refuses to accept
their right to live in their own land.(8)
Of course, most Replacement Theology activists
will not admit their true views about Israel publicly. Instead, they
declare that they love and support Israel and even go there often.
However, just as in secular politics, one has to read between the lines
and decipher the doublespeak. In reality, they do not love and support
the Israel that presently exists. They are, in deeds (and with words in
certain venues), adamantly opposed to present-day Israel.
If they loved and supported Israel, they would
not be involved in a mission to force her into conformity with something
she is not (and something that would eventually destroy her).
Furthermore, they would not deny her genetic heritage and legacy and
attempt to erase her from eschatology. Last, they would not be teaching
anti-Semitism, as some of them are, to unsuspecting generations of
younger professing Christians.
What they truly love and support is a
futuristic and completely transformed “Israel”—an “Israel” that does not
yet exist. It is a model they have concocted to agree with their
“peace” plan. They arrogantly believe that Israel does not know what’s
best for her and that they must steer the nation into its peaceful
destiny.
Their commitment is as saying, “I love and
support you, but not as you are. You must change.” That is commitment
with conditions, which is not love and support at all. It is coercion
and extortion. Those conditions include kowtowing to Muslim and
especially Palestinian demands. Capitulating to those requirements would
indeed change Israel to meet the approval of her “fair-weather friends”
in denomination leadership, and tenured at colleges and universities.
But there is nothing to gain from such a commitment and much to lose.
While this is not God’s plan according to His
Word, these “pacifists” alter, remove, replace, reinterpret, and
otherwise manipulate God’s Word to conform with their definition of
“justice and peacemaking,” one of their popular buzz phrases.
“But,” they insist, “we must have world peace.” And as Rick Warren has often said, we must do “whatever it takes” to accomplish that peace.(9)
But at what price? Alliance with haters of
Israel? The sacrifice of truth? The price of twisting God’s Word to
disenfranchise His chosen people? Will the price be a massive assault of
many armies on the nation of Israel? If the latter occurs, supporters
of false peace will soon realize Who they were offending.
What Are These “Justice and Peacemakers” Really About?
What exactly are these “justice and peacemakers
really about? And what are some of their tactics? Let’s take a look at a
couple of the individuals involved in this so-called “justice and
peacemaking” movement who have influenced the Assemblies of God.
Consider Paul Alexander, author of Peace to War: Shifting Allegiances in the Assemblies of God. Alexander was a Pneuma Book Award finalist chosen by The Society for Pentecostal Studies, a bastion of Replacement Theology. He edits the Pentecostals, Peacemaking, and Social Justice book
series. His bio says he is a Pentecostal “peacemaker and justice
seeker” originally from Kansas. He was a Missions major at Southwestern
Assemblies of God University, has a M.Div. from the Assemblies of God
Theological Seminary, and a doctorate from Baylor University. He is
currently professor of Christian ethics and public policy at Palmer
Theological Seminary of Eastern University and the director of public
policy for Evangelicals for Social Action.(10)
Alexander founded Pentecostals and Charismatics
for Peace and Justice (PCPJ) with the mission “to encourage, enable,
and sustain peacemaking and justice–seeking as authentic and integral
parts of Pentecostal–Charismatic Christianity.”(11) If you wish to see a
glimpse of the next generation of Pentecostals and charismatics that
are now rising to leadership, check out PCPJ’s Facebook page.(12)
Alexander also edited the book, Christ at the Checkpoint: Theology in the Service of Justice and Peace, commissioned
and written by Palestinian Christians. In the Series Preface, Alexander
writes, “We understand that peace and justice are not separate concerns
but different ways of talking about and seeking Shalom—God’s salvation,
justice and peace.”(13) Alexander and his associates, the Palestinian
Christians, believe that Israel does not have biblical heritage or a
right to their land. Christ at the Checkpoint conferences,
sponsored by Bethlehem Bible College featuring speakers such as emergent
progressive leaders Lynne Hybels(14) and Tony Campolo,(15) have a
distinct anti-Israel political agenda.
According to various sources, Bethlehem Bible
College is steeped in Replacement Theology that encourages sympathy for
the Palestinians. For example, a 2014 NGO Monitor article titled “U.S.,
U.K., Netherlands Fund Anti-Israel ‘Christ at the Checkpoint’
Conference,” said of the 2014 conference that Christ at the Checkpoint
“seeks to advance the Palestinian nationalist agenda within Evangelical
Christian churches, while simultaneously reviving theological
anti-Semitic themes such as replacement theology.”(16)
And an article in the Jerusalem Post stated of Bethlehem Bible College:
The school has a deeply entrenched
anti-Israel position, demonstrated through statements and publications
of leaders associated with the school.(17)
However, Alexander calls his book a “book of
love.” He declares, “The Palestinian Christians who organized the
conference at which these essays were presented are motivated by their
love for God, love for Israelis, and love for their fellow
Palestinians.”(18)
Alexander is no longer affiliated with the
Assemblies of God. He was dismissed as a licensed AoG minister in 2014
for his changed views on homosexuality and acceptance of gay
marriage.(19)But his dismissal had nothing to do with his anti-Israel
efforts, which had begun long before 2014. So while the AoG was right in
dismissing him for his pro-homosexual views, they apparently saw
nothing wrong with his activism against Israel a number of years before
that.
“This Land is . . . Your Land?”—The Dilemma of Ross Byars, R3’s Foremost Author
This brings me to J. Ross Byars, the apparent
foremost author of Resolution 3. Byars is co-founder of the Jerusalem
School of Bethlehem, of which students are predominantly Muslim. While
the school focuses on giving Muslim youth a good education, “justice and
peacemaking” is a major theme. Byars is known as an advocate of
Replacement Theology. His rewrite of Woody Guthrie’s song “This Land is
Your Land” leaves no doubt as to his position on Israel. Below are a few
stanzas of this rewritten song:
It’s not just our land,
it’s also your land,
from the Rafah crossing
to the Northern Highland.
From the sandy seashore
to the tumbling Jordan,
this land is made for you and me. . . .
from the bubbling springs of Dan,
to Beersheba’s desert sand.
From the walls of the city,
to the snows of Hermon,
this land is made for you and me.(20)
You can watch a video of students at Jerusalem School of Bethlehem singing Byars rendition of the American song here: http://www.cppi.co/proactivities.html.
Peter Yarrow (of the 60s singing group Peter, Paul, and Mary) is
leading the group (also we have posted all the lyrics below this
article).
In one verse, Byars postulates the concept that the Israelis and Palestinians are Arabs and their God is one:
So why these wars and fuss?
We’re you and you are us
We’re all one family,
this land’s one country.
We’re all Abram’s sons
Our God we serve is one,
Who made this land for you and me. (21)
Just hours before Lighthouse Trails released
their response to George Wood’s comments about my first commentary,(22)
Ross Byars called the office of Lighthouse Trails and spoke to one of
its editors. He said that he is not anti-Israel but admitted he is for a
two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, saying that
even Israel is for it. The LT editor responded by saying that Israel is
not for it but is being coerced and forced into it.
The two-state solution. I explained the
difference in versions of two-state agreements in the Lighthouse Trails
response to George Wood:
Some evangelical leaders insist there is
nothing wrong with the Two-State Solution. They claim that Israel
advocates a Two-State Solution. If that were true, then it would have
already occurred and we would not be having this controversy. There is a
vast difference between the versions of Two-State Solutions. Israel’s
version could be summed up as, “You leave us alone, and we’ll leave you
alone.” Conversely, the Two-State Solution advocated by certain
evangelicals is to moderate a resolution between Israel and Palestine
that involves Israel giving up the West Bank, its biblical heritage as
God’s Chosen People, and other untenable concessions. There is an effort
to dismiss Israel from eschatology and brand it as just another sinful
nation.(23)
Those who are advocating a two-state solution
are overlooking something: they are assuming that once Israel falls into
step with what the world is demanding of them, then the Muslims,
Palestinians, and everyone else will now love Israel and be kind to her.
But why would people think that is going to happen?! Israel and the
Jews have been hated throughout history, long before there was the
modern-day nation of Israel. Hitler didn’t need that as an excuse. There
was no nation of Israel, but still he hated them, he killed them, and
leaders and people around the world turned a blind eye while six million
Jews were annihilated. Today, there are only fourteen million Jews on
the Earth. Those who know (and believe) their Bibles know that God’s
adversary, the devil, has a vehement hate for the Jews (and the nation
of Israel) and will stop at nothing to destroy them. Those who think
that Muslim terrorists and enemies are going to love Israel if they
agree to a two-state solution are living in a deadly bubble of delusion.
“Justice and peacemaker” Murray Dempster (one
of the supporters/authors of R3) is a professor at Southeastern and an
adherent of Replacement Theology as was shown in both my earlier
commentary and the Lighthouse Trails response to George Woods. An online
article titled “Liberal Theology at Assemblies of God University?”
reports on enthusiastic student support for anti-Semitism at
Southeastern:
[One] week they invited Sami Awad, a
pro-Palestine advocate to guest lecture. The lecture had very
anti-Semitic comments and at one point it was mentioned that Israel did
not have a right to exist. The discussion became very disturbing.(24)
Awad is a so-called “justice and peacemaker”
and executive Director of Holy Land Trust. His father, Bishara Awad, is
the founder of the Bethlehem Bible College that sponsors Christ at the Checkpoint
conferences. At the 2012 Christ at the Checkpoint conference, Sami
Awad, MC for the event, supported Dr. Manfred Kohl who condemned another
speaker, Wayne Hilsden, for his “literal reading of scripture” (where
Hilsden stated that the “physical return of the Jews to their ancient
homeland is biblically mandated”). Kohl said of Hilsden, “the theology
of fools who delight in their own idiocy.” Awad suggested that it “was
time for Christians who use the Bible to support Israel’s restoration to
stand before the security wall in Bethlehem and, similar to John F.
Kennedy before the Berlin Wall, declare, ‘I am an idiot.’”(25)
These remarks are far from peaceful. They are
arrogant, provocative, and reveal the true nature of these “justice and
peacemakers.” For a comprehensive, well-documented, and compelling
documentary on “Christian Palestinianism” and its implications on
Israel, watch Caryl Productions film Exposing Christian Palestinianism.(26)
Are “Justice and Peacemakers” Being Honest About Their True Purpose?
Throughout Replacement Theology activists’
literature and speeches, one becomes aware of a constant supposed theme
of love, justice, peacemaking, etc. Their definition of love is not
credible though because they are not being honest. Their explanation of
“justice and peacemaking” is based on Replacement Theology. Their
two-state solution is based on the claim that Israel does not have a
right to her land, that she stole it from the Palestinians who are
lovingly practicing justice and peacemaking by allowing Israel to keep a
small tract of it.
It is a great shame that professing Christians
resort to the same tactics as secular politicians and hide their true
intent to reach their goals. God’s Word declares, let your yea be yea and your nay be nay (Matthew 5:37).
It is clearly a godly directive for Christians to be forthright and
honest with our words. Instead, Replacement Theology activists use
subterfuge and doublespeak to inch their way into leadership and
positions of influence. Once in power, they oppress and take advantage
of the very ones who trusted them with their offices.
When Assemblies of God pastors and leaders vote
this coming week on Resolution 3, I pray they will understand that if
they vote for R3, they will be helping to pave the way to legitimize and
unleash a hoard of RT activists on Israel. I beseech these leaders not
to be deceived by tactics that are not forthright or according to God’s
Word. In addition, to vote for R3 is a vote against Israel, and this can
only bring judgment upon Assemblies of God and even the church at large
because many other evangelical groups will eventually follow suit in
the AoG decision.
Jesus Christ warned that end-times deception
would be so clever that the very elect could be deceived if that were
possible. The apostle Paul wrote that those who do not have a “love of
the truth . . . God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-11). As committed believers in
Jesus Christ, we need to be on guard against deception, which works
because it is comfortable, is convincing, and appeals to the carnal mind
of nominal Christians. Do not be deceived, beloved!
Endnotes:
1.Commentary: Assembly of God (AOG) General Council to Vote on Resolution Against Israel
2. Dr. George Wood Responds to Lighthouse Trails Article on AoG Resolution 3 and Israel
3. Assemblies of God General Superintendent Letter Responds to Lighthouse Trails Article – Defends Contemplative Spirituality
4. http://faith.yale.edu/common-word/common-word-christian-response
5. http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=13869
6. See Beth Moore & Priscilla Shirer – Their History of Contemplative Prayer and Why War Room Should Not Have Used Them
7. ISRAEL: REPLACING WHAT GOD HAS NOT
8. Dr. David R. Reagan, “The Evil of Replacement
Theology: The Historical Abuse of the Jews by the Church,” Lion and
Lamb Ministries, http://christinprophecy.org/articles/the-evil-of-replacement-theology/.
9.Time Magazine on Rick Warren’s New Global Reformation and PEACE Coalition
10. https://sojo.net/biography/paul-alexander
11. https://pcpjtest.wordpress.com/about/
12. https://www.facebook.com/pcpeacejustice/
13. Paul Alexander, Christ at the Checkpoint: Theology in the Service of Justice and Peace (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2012), Series Preface.
14. Jim Fletcher, “Lynne Hybel’s God” (http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=17590)
15. See “2010
Film ‘With God on Our Side’ – Championed by Jim Wallis, Tony Campolo,
Brian McLaren & Steve Haas (World Vision) – Has Changed the Minds of
Evangelicals”
16. Sean Savage, “NGO Monitor: U.S., U.K.,
Netherlands Fund Anti-Israel ‘Christ at the Checkpoint’ Conference” (http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/03/12/ngo-monitor-u-s-u-k-netherlands-fund-anti-israel-%E2%80%98christ-at-the-checkpoint%E2%80%99-conference/)
17. Tricia Miller, “Bethlehem Bible College—Purveyor of Anti-Israel Propaganda” (Jerusalem Post, October 26, 2014, http://www.jpost.com/Christian-News/Bethlehem-Bible-College-purveyor-of-anti-Israel-propaganda-379858)
18. Paul Alexander, Christ at the Checkpoint, op. cit., Preface.
19. https://www.onenewsnow.com/church/2014/02/17/ag-disciplines-pastor-who-departs-from-biblical-truth and http://www.evangelicalsforsocialaction.org/sexual-justice/esa-statement-on-the-dismissal-of-paul-alexander-by-the-assemblies-of-god.
20. http://www.cppi.co/proactivities.html
21. Ibid.
22. Dr. George Wood Responds to Lighthouse Trails Article on AoG Resolution 3 and Israel
23. Ibid.
24. Chelsen Vicari, “Liberal Theology at
Assemblies of God University?” (Juicy Ecumenism: The Institute on
Religion & Democracy blog, December 18, 2014, https://juicyecumenism.com/2014/12/18/squishy-theology-assembly-gods-southeastern-university).
25. Jan Markell, “‘Checked’ at the Checkpoint” (March 15, 2012, http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs019/1101818841456/archive/1109521345222.html).
26. This incredible film is available through
Lighthouse Trails. Every church and church group should watch this film!
(http://www.lighthousetrails.com/home/454-exposing-christian-palestinianism-dvd.html)
Appendix:
Transcript of Ross Byars rewrite of Woody Guthrie’s song, “This Land is Your Land.”
As I was walking that ribbon of highway,
I saw above me that endless skyway.
I saw below me that golden valley,
this land is made for your and me.
I roamed and rambled
and I followed my footsteps,
to the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts.
And all around me a voice was sounding,
this land is made for you and me.
Chorus
It’s not just our land,
it’s also your land,
from the Rafah crossing
to the Northern Highland.
From the sandy seashore to the tumbling Jordan,
this land is made for you and me.
As I was walking I saw a wall there.
A great big sign said, “Our people only.”
But on the other side it didn’t say “Nothing.”
Now that side is made for you and me.
In the towns and cities, at church and temple.
By shrine and mosque I saw the people
As they stood hating, and I stood crying,
“This land is made for you and me.”
Chorus
It’s not just our land, it’s also your land,
from the bubbling springs of Dan
To Beersheba’s desert sand.
From the walls of the city
To the snows of Hermon,
this land is made for you and me
Nobody living can ever stop us,
as we go walking our true peace highway
No wall or weapon can make us turn back,
‘cause this land is made for you and me.
So why these wars and fuss?
We’re you and you are us
We’re all one family, this land’s one country.
We’re all Abram’s sons
Our God we serve is one,
Who made this land for you and me
Chorus
It’s not just our land,
it’s also your land,
from the Rafah crossing
to the Northern Highland.
From the sandy seashore
to the tumbling Jordan.
This land is made for you and me.