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By: Michael Tao
Bill McCartney and Roman Catholics
Bill McCartney, founder of the Promise Keepers, was a lifetime
devout Roman Catholic who attended Mass daily until he visited
the Boulder Vineyard Fellowship, liked the pastor's preaching,
and began attending there.
He has never broken with the Catholic Church. If he has, let us
hear from him: when and why he left Romanism i.e. what was wrong
with it that caused him to leave and why he would seek to rescue
other Catholics from its errors. In contrast, McCartney accepts
Catholics as Christians and sees no reason to evangelize them.
In his autobiography, "From Ash to Glory", ...clearly
McCartney has no conviction that one needs to look to Christ
alone instead of to their church and sacraments to be saved. (Dave
Hunt, The Berean Call, November 1996)
Promise Keepers and Roman Catholics
The Roman Catholic newspaper, The Tidings ( Archdiocese paper,
Los Angeles, March 31, 1995) ran a very favorable report on
Promise Keepers on its March issue, noting that "there is no
attempt at proselytizing for drawing men away from their faith to
another church" and "there is no doctrinal issue which
should cause concern to the Catholic Church". In the same
newspaper, it also says,
"Promise Keepers is a basic program of evangelization for
men of faith, begun among more fundamentalist and evangelical
Christian communities, but now being expanded to include Catholic
congregations. ...,
"The fundamental theme of the weekend is to be a man of
faith, a man committed to the Lord Jesus Christ,' explains Father
Christian Van Liefde, pastor of St. Hillary Church in Pico Rivera
who, at the urging of Cardinal Robert Mahony, has studied the
feasibility and appropriateness of utilizing Promise Keepers at
the Catholic parish level.
"While noting the evangelical roots of the program, Father
Van Liefde says there is no doctrinal issue which should cause
concern to the Catholic Church.
"Promise Keepers places a very strong emphasis on returning
to your own church congregation or parish and becoming an active
layman," Father Van Liefde points out. There is no attempt
at proselytizing or drawing men away from their faith to another
church...
"Father Van Liefde is optimistic that Promise Keepers can
grow at the parish level as well--and without adversely impacting
existing parish programs or finances."
The above is the plain evidence of the unscriptural character of
Promise Keepers.( David W. Cloud, Editor. O Timothy magazine,
Volume 12, Issue 5,1995. )
As for "salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone," Roman Catholic apologists insist that this is what their church teaches. However we need to point out their errors, we also need to understand that preaching what is true only is not enough. All Catholics agree that Christ died for their sins, was buried and rose again the third day and that "salvation' is received by grace. In addition, however, Catholicism teaches that "the grace and merits Christ won on the cross" can only be received by the individual through he sacraments of the Church, and then only in partial installation. No one ever gets saved and has assurance of going to Heaven. Even pope lacks that assurance. This even a clear gospel message at a Promise Keepers rally will likely be understood by Roman Catholics and Mormons only in the context of their religious indoctrination and therefore will not save them. The Catholic and Mormon "convert" is sent back to his church for the Promise Keepers small group to follow-up. The very fact that both the Roman and Mormon churches have officially declared that they fond no conflict between Promise Keepers teaching and their own doctrines ought to tell you that something is seriously wrong. (Dave Hunt, The Berean Call, November 1996)
Promise Keepers and the Mormons
Even Mormons are participating in Promise Keepers. Mormon leaders of Palos Verdes, California, have come out publicly in support of Promise Keepers (David Cloud,"Letter to Pastor Billy Hamm", July 1995)
The May 6, 1995, Los Angeles Times reported the statement of Mormon attorney, Chip Rawlings, who said: "The movement's 'Seven Promises' are like something straight out of the men's priesthood manual of the (Mormon) church." Other statements of Mormon leaders have declared the Mormon church and Reformed Latter Day Saints church "have no problems with Promise Keepers." Promise Keepers cannot be faulted for having received the endorsement of a cult. Until Promise Keepers declares categorically that the heresy of Mormonism is totally incompatible with Promise Keepers, they will continue to be viewed with suspicion as a "new age" ecumenical movement (James Holly, M.D., Promise Keepers: Of God or Of Man? ).
Promise Keepers and the Homosexuals
It may seem far-fetched to equate wearing an earring to
engaging in homosexual acts. But the principle is the same. And
it isn't so farfetched in view of a Promise Keepers statement on
homosexuality,
"As to homosexuality, Promise Keepers shares the same
historic and biblical stance taken by Evangelicals and Catholics--that
sex is a good gift from God--to be enjoyed in the context of
heterosexual marriage. Promise Keepers also recognizes that
homosexuality is a complex and potentially polarizing issue.
There is a great debate surrounding its environmental and genetic
origins, yet as an organization we believe that homosexuals are
men who need the same support, encouragement and healing we are
offering to all men. While we have clear convictions regarding
the issue of homosexuality, we are sensitive to and have
compassion for the men who are struggling with these issues. We,
therefore, support their being included and welcomed in all our
events (Fax from Promise Keepers to Greg Dixon, pastor of
Indianapolis Baptist Temple, Dec. 8, 1993).
So Promise Keepers, while acknowledging elsewhere that homosexuality is a sin, "shares the same historic and biblical stance taken by Evangelicals and Catholics. But it takes a worldly stance on homosexuality as "a complex and potentially polarizing issue." Thus, homosexuality must be understood within the context of humanistic psychology and genetic research. (Albert James Dager, Promise Keepers Is What You See What You Get? Media Spotlight, P.O. Box 290 Redmord, WA 98073-0290)
Promise Keepers and The Beatles
James Ryle, the pastor of the Vineyard church of which Promise
Keepers founder Bill McCartnry is a member, has been an
influential part of the Promise Keepers movement from its
inception and is on the Promise Keepers board of directors.
In November 1990, at the "Harvest Conference" held in
Denver, Colorado; Ryle, in a message titled, "Sons of
Thunder," shared the details of his Beatles' "anointing"
dreams and their interpretation. The latter message has since
been accessed via audio tape by multitudes and become the subject
of much controversy. In the tape, Ryle says,
"Psalm 68:18 says, "When you ascended on high, you led
captivity captive, and you gave gifts to men, even to the
rebellious, that God may dwell in our midst." The Lord spoke
to me and said, "What you saw in the Beatles -- the gifting
and that sound that they had -- was from me. It did not belong to
them, it belonged to me. And it was my purpose to bring forth
through music a world-wide revival that would usher in the move
of my spirit in bringing men and women to Christ."
I (Ryle) want to tell you those four lads, the fab four, they
aborted something. They took what did not belong to them and used
it in a way that it was not intended by God to be used. It did
bring a revival of music -- but it brought it on the other side
of the fence if you know what I'm sayin'. And the Lord spoke to
me and He said, "In 1970 I lifted that anointing off of them.
And it has been held in my hand ever since."And the Lord
said, "The reason you saw it in the equipment room of that
church is because that anointing belongs to the church." It
is part of our equipment. It doesn't belong to the world. It
belongs to the Lord Jesus.
And the Lord said, "Now I'm looking for those who I can
place that anointing back upon. And as surely as I place it upon
'em, they will come forth with a sound that is distinctive, that
will turn the heads of men and women and capture their hearts."
Due to the criticism he faced regarding this "Beatles'
anointing", by 1994, James Ryle was at the same time a
rising star Director of Promise Keepers, he defensed that he was
being misunderstood.
Promise Keepers Welcome Female Pastors
According to a report in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Promise Keepers director for the state of Missouri says female pastors are welcome. Following is an excerpt from the article "Promise Keepers to Rally at Kiel," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 13, 1996.
"Promise Keepers welcomes female pastors leading male
members," Monroe said.
Louis Monroe is the Promise Keepers' state director of Missouri.
It would probably be to the dismay of many Promise Keepers
participants that a state director would endorse the unbiblical
practice of women leaning men in church. The Apostle Paul, under
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said that he forbade a woman to
teach or usurp authority over the man (1Timothy 2:12). No man or
woman has the authority to allow that which the Apostle of Jesus
Christ forbade. If God is calling women to be pastors in spite of
what He has said in His own Word, there is utter confusion and we
cannot be certain of anything. This is another example of Promise
Keepers's ambiguous teachings, when a pastor of a local church
send his sheep to the gates of para-church organizations, he will
never know what his sheep will be fed.
Promise Keepers and the Heretics
John Maxwell is a new evangelical type who speaks frequently
at Promise Keepers meetings. Maxwell's unbiblical attitude is
also evident in remarks he made after speaking before some 1,500
United Pentecostal Church (UPC) ministers in February 1997. The
United Pentecostal Church (UPC), part of the heretical movement
called "Jesus Only" which dates back to 1914, denies
the doctrine of the Trinity and teaches that baptism and tongues
speaking are a necessary part of salvation. Following is the UPC
statement on salvation:
"The basic and fundamental doctrine of this organization
shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is
repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the
Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues
as the Spirit gives utterance" (UPC doctrinal statement,
Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements , p. 861).
But if baptism were a part of the Gospel, the Apostle Paul would
not have said, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to
preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of
Christ should be made of none effect" (1 Cor. 1:17). Baptism
is a picture of the Gospel and it follows the Gospel as the first
step of obedience in the Christian life. The United Pentecostal
Church preaches a false gospel.
When questioned about his involvement with the UPC, Maxwell is
quoted as saying that rather than trying to "fix" the
UPC theologically, he simply embraces them as Christians and
offers his seminars to help them grow in Christ. "I DON'T
DRAW LINES. I have a great appreciation for the hearts of these
people" (Ibid.).
God's Word instructs us to draw lines between sound doctrine and
false doctrine,
Romans 16:17 says, "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them
which cause divisions and offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH
YE HAVE LEARNED; and avoid them", 1 Timothy 1:3 says,
"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went
into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no
other doctrine".
New Evangelical leaders like John Maxwell refuse to obey these
commands.
Promise Keepers say "No Problem" to the Statement that Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
The July 23, 1995, issue of 'Today's Catholic' contained an
article entitled "Promise Keepers Christian crusade draws
Catholic men." The paper reported that in July 1995, an
official Promise Keepers Leadership Seminar was conducted at the
Catholic Franciscan University. More than 600 Catholic men
participated. The meeting concluded with a Catholic mass led by
the school's president, priest Michael Scanlon.
Promise Keepers representatives Dale Schlafer and Glenn Wagner
spoke at the Franciscan University in 1996. The Men's Conference
at the Franciscan University in 1997 featured Mike Timmis, a
Roman Catholic attorney who is on the Promise Keepers Board of
Directors.
It is evident that Promise Keepers leaders have a warm,
uncritical relationship with Priest Michael Scanlan and with the
Franciscan University. The Catholicism of the Franciscan
University is even more dangerous than traditional Catholicism
because its adoption of charismatic experience has given it a
semblance of biblical piety and spiritual fervor. What does
Scanlan believe? Promise Keepers founder Bill McCartney says that
they want to join hands with every man who "loves Jesus."
What "Jesus" is exalted on the campus of the Franciscan
University? What spirit do they follow? This brings us to the
article on "Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit." Consider
the following amazing excerpt:
"Thus MARY BECAME THE SPOUSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN SHE
WAS CONCEIVED, not years later when she gave her consent to the
angel Gabriel and conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
...
This is absolute blasphemy. Nowhere in the Scriptures says Mary
is the spouse of the Holy Spirit, not one time do we find the
Apostles or early Christians praying to her.
(David W. Cloud, Fundamental Baptist News Service, 1701 Harns Rd.,
Oak Harbor, WA 98277)
Promise Keepers say that Jesus was tempted by Homosexuality.
More shocking is Robert Hicks' belief that Jesus was
personally tempted with homosexuality. The following is taken
from his book, The Masculine Journey, P. 181, which has been
officially sanctioned by Promise Keepers as being "Biblically-centered,
frank and honest". Hicks' book and its accompanying study
guide were distributed to every man who attended the 1993
convention in Colorado,
"I believe Jesus was phallic with all the inherent phallic
passions we experience as men. But it was never recorded that
Jesus had sexual relations with a woman. He may have thought
about it as the movie The Last Temptation of Christ portrays, but
even in this movie He did not give in to the temptation, and
remained true to his messianic course. If temptation means
anything, it mans Christ was tempted in every way as we are. That
would mean not only heterosexual temptation but also homosexual
temptation! I have found this insight to be very helpful for gay
men struggling with their sexuality (Hicks, P.181).
This idea that Jesus is not only insulting but also absurd, Hicks'
statement embraces the movie's blasphemy. (Miguel Betancourt II,
Ferndale Baptist Church, 4830 Piedmont Ave., N. Charleston, SC
29418 USA).
