Category Archives: Take Heed Ministries

The ‘Spin Doctors’ of ‘Power to Change’

The term ‘spin doctor’ has come to prominence in recent years because of the use by ‘New Labour’ of specialist spokespersons who put a ‘spin’ [usually glossy] on items of government policy for public consumption. They have come to be regarded with increasing suspicion as ‘truth’ has subsequently emerged to show very often the questionable nature of their official ‘spin’.

On Sunday 21 July, ‘Power to Change’ spokesmen, Michael Fitch [Northern Ireland committee] and Tom McGuiness [Southern Ireland committee] were interviewed on Radio Ulster’s ‘Sunday Sequence’ about the forthcoming ecumenical ‘mission’ called ‘Power To Change’to be staged from23 September until 20 October 2002.

In answer to the question ‘What’s the thinking behind Power to Change’? Michael Fitch stated ‘The whole thinking behind Power to Change is that for the average Christian in Ireland, after they’ve become a Christian, within 3 years they don’t know any other people apart from Christians and the whole idea of Power to Change is to mobilise Christians to get them out beyond their comfort zone and to share THE GOSPEL, which is as relevant today as it has been for 2000 years, with those that are around them’.

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EVANGELICALS and CATHOLICS – DIALOGUE unto DEATH

PART ONE [June 2002]

Recently I returned from a conference sponsored by the Wheaton College Graduate School Department of Bible and Theology and InterVarsity Press. Titled “Catholics and Evangelicals in Conversation,” the event brought together 14 theologians from both traditions, including Catholics Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago, and Richard John Neuhaus, co-originator with Charles Colson of “Evangelicals and Catholics Together: The Christian Mission in the Third Millennium” (ECT). Leading ‘evangelicals’ included Timothy George, Dean of Beeson Divinity School, and J.I. Packer, well-known author of Knowing God. However, before sharing my observations concerning the significance of the conference and the increasing influence of ECT, let me share my experiences with the students of Wheaton College.

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News From The Front – June 2002

Dear praying friends,

In Psalm 92:1 we read, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord” and as this newsletter unfolds I hope you will join with us as we “give thanks unto the Lord”. We want to thank Him for overseeing the visit of our brother Roger Oakland in March [see p2-6] and we want to thank Him also for the thrilling developments in Louisiana [see p13-14]. As a couple we want to thank Him for His gracious and merciful dealings with us and also for His faithful provision as He has moved in the hearts of His people to support us here at “Take Heed”. Then in Luke 18:1 we read these words of the Lord Himself “Men ought always to pray and not to faint”. As you will read in the enclosed special notice we have sent a ‘creation video’ to every Member of Parliament [659 in total] at Westminster – please pray with us that God would touch the hearts and minds of these men and women who hold the reins of power [humanly speaking] in our nation. In the newsletter itself you will read a number of ‘Prayer Points’ [see p12] and again we would ask you to pray with us and for us. These past months have been for us personally both difficult and demanding for a number of reasons but our hands are still firmly “to the plough” [Luke 9:62] and as together we give thanks and offer prayer may we all know “the peace of God which passeth all understanding keeping our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” [Philippians 4:7].

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‘Toronto Blessing’ Pastor & Wife to visit Belfast

According to an advert in the Belfast Telegraph [April 20] a series of meetings are to be held in Belfast from Saturday 4 May until Monday 6 May. These meetings are being organised by the ecumenical, extreme charismatic, Christian Fellowship Church, Belfast which is pastored by Paul Reid.

The guest speakers at these meetings will be John and Carol Arnott who head up the ‘Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship’. It was here that the so-called ‘Toronto Blessing’ was spawned in 1994 and Mr Arnott oversaw all that happened there. Subsequently he was at the centre of the claimed ‘gold tooth-filling’ miracles which were exposed on National television in July 1999.

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News From The Front – March 2002

Dear praying friends,

Virtually on a daily basis the most horrendous acts of wickedness, barbarity and evil are being reported on the television news broadcasts. Often these acts are being perpetrated by vicious thugs on the weakest of society that is, either the very young or the frail and elderly. Constantly commentators and ‘experts’ are offering reasons and excuses as to why these things are happening. Not once is the cause of these terrible deeds attributed to ‘the depravity of man’ because we now live in a world that has set itself in opposition to the Divine truth that mankind, having been created by the one true God of the Bible, then ‘fell’ because of ‘Adam’s sin’. The teaching of ‘original sin’ has been almost totally eliminated as the promotion of the lie of evolution has globally swept the education systems of the world. Mankind is now reaping the bitter fruit sown by its rejection of the truth of Genesis. Just how strident this opposition to God’s truth is will be seen when you read the quote from Ken Ham recorded on page 16 of this newsletter. As a ministry we are praying much for the March visit [DV] of Roger Oakland as he with God’s help seeks to alert people to the impact of evolution on society, morals and behaviour. May God be pleased to use this dear brother in Christ as a light in a very dark world. We covet your prayers.

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The ‘leaven’ in ‘Power To Change’

The latest ploy to involve ‘Evangelical Catholics’ as full ‘partners’ and ‘participants’ in mainstream so-called Evangelical Mission efforts is being progressively launched over the next months through a series of video presentations and talks in various locations around Northern Ireland.

The name given to the initiative is ‘POWER TO CHANGE’ – It was first used in Canada and is now being imported here.

It stems from Campus Crusade for Christ whose founder Bill Bright was one of the ‘evangelical’ signers of the ‘Evangelicals and Catholics Together’ document in USA in 1994 and who a few years later accepted the Templeton prize [million dollars] for progress in religion – he accepted it in a Roman Catholic chapel in Rome in the presence of Cardinal Edward Cassidy who was involved in an advisory capacity for Rome in the drafting of the ‘Evangelicals and Catholics Together’ document. Other recipients of the Templeton prize have included ecumenists Billy Graham and Charles Colson and the well known [now deceased] Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa.

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CREATION CONTROVERSY

If ever a visit was providentially ordered then it was that of Roger Oakland. As you will know from the leaflet enclosure with our March newsletter Roger was here from 10-24 March and during that time he delivered 21 talks. The feedback has been positive and encouraging as the following extract from one email will demonstrate.

Dear Mr Andrews
Just a short email to say how much I was blessed with the visit of Roger Oakland to the WORD Bible class last Saturday night. It was good to learn more about creation and to watch out for false teaching that can happen so easily…Thanks again and keep up the good work
PMcW

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News From The Front – December 2001

Dear praying friends,

Death has very visibly stalked humanity in recent months with no better examples than the terrible events of 11 September and 12 November. They bring into sharp focus the words recorded in Proverbs 27:1 “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth”. The world suffered those days, America suffered those days, New York suffered those days but the true reality of death is that it is supremely very personal. Those who suffer most as a consequence of it are the family and friends of those who die, not the world, not a country, and not a city. There was intense grief because of death in a small village called Nain some 2000 years ago, but into that scene of sorrow stepped One who made all the difference – His name was Jesus Christ [see Luke 7:11-16]. The cry went up “God hath visited his people” [v16]. As you will read shortly, death has intruded into our own family circle but in the midst of our great grief and sorrow we too can testify, “God hath visited his people” and with Job of old we raise our voices in thanksgiving saying “the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord” [Job 1:21].

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News From The Front – September 2001

Dear praying friends,

Once more we are on the eve of another ‘winter’s work’ and of one thing we can be assured – there will be no respite or ‘hibernation’ from spiritual deception and error. Our enemy is one ‘lion’ who thrives on activity. As you read this newsletter you will see that God’s faithful people are swimming against an ever swelling, fast flowing river of error-ridden, false Christianity and professed spirituality. The false prophets of a soon coming ‘mighty revival’ continue to parade before the churches their latest sure-fire methods that will guarantee ‘success and growth’ whether these be ‘Alpha’, ‘Jabez’, ‘Relics’, ‘Transformations’, ‘User–friendliness’ or ‘Health and Wealth’. Sadly the reality is that large numbers are being attracted to these watered down, unscriptural, often pagan infiltrated ‘gospel’ presentations. Clearly “many” are indeed travelling “the broad way” and “few” have found “the narrow way”. However this is not a cause for despair but rather a motivating, wake-up call to action because the Saviour has promised, “I will build my church” and He has chosen to use the “weak and foolish” things to accomplish His purposes. In so doing the glory will be His alone. We covet your ongoing prayers that despite our perceived weakness and foolishness, His cause will prosper and His name will be glorified.

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A close encounter with a ‘raelian’

Towards the end of August [2001] I received a letter from a brother in Christ who is on my mailing list and in the letter he informed me

‘Last Friday night I was giving out Gospel leaflets at Shaftesbury Square. A foreign-looking gentleman gave me a leaflet in exchange for the one I had given him. I have enclosed a copy of the leaflet produced by the INTERNATIONAL RAELIAN MOVEMENT. I must admit I have never heard of this cult which sadly believes in science fiction as you will see…If you have any information or thoughts on how I should approach this cult I would appreciate it’

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