Category Archives: Nickey Gumbel
ALPHA’S ECUMENICAL FIGUREHEAD: NICKY GUMBEL
It goes without question that NICKY GUMBEL is the face and the voice of The ALPHA Course and I have written about him and it on a number of times in the past. This is the time of year when many churches are launching ALPHA courses and so I want to reproduce here a helpful article that details the close ecumenical and unscriptural links that NICKY GUMBEL has with the Roman Catholic religion. The article was the lead article in the British Church Newspaper of 4 September 2015 (No. 313) and it is reproduced here with kind permission of both the author and the paper.
ALPHA – Attend or Avoid?
FALSE “REVIVAL ‘12”?: Robin Mark and Nicky Gumbel
The Belfast Telegraph of Saturday 16th June 2012 carried an advert for “Revival ‘12”: ‘A celebration of music and faith’ to be held on Friday 28th September in The Odyssey, Belfast. It is being organised by ‘Revival Network UK’ and features musician Robin Mark and the man most associated with The Alpha Course, Nicky Gumbel.
As I write this article the Roman Catholic ‘World Eucharistic Congress’ is coming to an end in Dublin and Nicky Gumbel was an invited guest speaker at a pre-Congress meeting where he spoke on ‘Communion in our Common Baptism’ – based presumably upon the section in Vatican 2 that states in the “Decree on Ecumenism”, Chapter 1: paragraph 3 “in subsequent centuries… large communities became separated from full communion with the (Roman) Catholic Church… However one cannot charge with the sin of separation those who at present are born into these communities and in them are brought up in the faith of Christ, and the (Roman) Catholic Church accepts them with affection as brothers. For men, who believe in Christ and have been properly baptised are put in some, though imperfect communion with the (Roman) Catholic Church” – in response let me say loudly and clearly – I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and I have been ‘properly baptised’ in accordance with what the Scriptures teach and I am most certainly NOT in any sort of ‘communion’, imperfect or otherwise, with the Roman Catholic Church and furthermore no true Christian is either.
News From The Front – December 2000
Dear praying friends,
As I begin to prepare this newsletter it is now almost 4 weeks since we moved to our new home in Ballynahinch. All that is said about the stress involved in moving house has proved to be accurate but thankfully many ‘loose ends’ are gradually being tied up.
We give thanks to God for His faithfulness and are confident that in due course all outstanding matters will be successfully concluded. Enclosed by separate letter are fuller details of the move as it has impacted on “Take Heed” Ministries.
As this landmark ‘millennium’ year draws to a close it is evident that the forces of darkness are flexing their spiritual muscles, confident that the tide of popular opinion is flowing their way. This should come as no surprise as Paul tells us of such a time when people “will not endure sound doctrine” [2 Timothy 4:3]. His remedy for such a situation was simple and concise “Preach the Word” [v 2]. Your prayers and continuing support for “Take Heed” are coveted that we may faithfully take an effective stand for truth in these days of great compromise.
An ‘Alpha’ Assessment – Nicky Gumbel’s ‘Gospel’
On Monday 25 September 2000 I went to hear Nicky Gumbel and his ALPHA team in the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. According to the Belfast Telegraph advert [16 September] this was ‘An opportunity to explore the meaning of life’.
News From The Front – September 2000
Dear praying friends,
As you will see I am issuing a letter rather than a newsletter due to our present home and ministry set-up. We moved from Carryduff towards the end of July and are currently in rented accommodation pending completion of our new home. This is expected to be around the end of September and once the premises have been painted and carpets laid we hope to move in sometime between mid-end October. I want to thank all who prayed that we would find a buyer for our former home- the sale went very smoothly and we are grateful to our heavenly Father.
News From The Front – June 2000
Dear praying friends,
This newsletter is being issued to you in the midst of what will be [DV] a very busy travelling season as you will read on page 16. Not only is ministry business taking me overseas but ministry needs are also leading Margaret, mum Andrews and myself to a new house that will be better suited to the space requirements of “Take Heed”. The prospect of leaving number 11 Ballynahinch Road has brought a renewed sense of gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the many happy memories that we will take from it. Here we shared together the last 10 years of my beloved father’s life until he went home to glory in 1995. Here Margaret and I have enjoyed our married life since 1987. Here we have been able to offer hospitality to and enjoy fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ who like ourselves are seeking to “earnestly contend for the faith” [Jude 3]. But as they say ‘life moves on’ and we look forward to serving God and His people from our new location [full details will be posted to you as soon as they are available]. Briefly but sincerely a big ‘thank you’ to the many who have given to the MISSION 2000 – by the time you receive this I hope that ALL the priests concerned will have been contacted [Full details will be given with my September newsletter {DV}]. In our next issues we will be including a series of articles that I was asked to write for the youth magazine of a particular denomination and which appear to have been well received [beginning with The Mormons]. We pray they will be helpful in equipping God’s people in these days.