On Saturday 22nd January 2000, the Spires Conference Centre, Belfast played host to the launch of a large ‘ecumenical umbrella organisation’ known as ‘HISTORY MAKERS’. As you read on perhaps a more apt title for this alliance might have been ‘Reformation Wreckers’.
From their own web site we read the following –
1. What if every single student aged 14 and upwards could be given an attractively illustrated, jargon busting [has that expression triggered any alarm bells in you?] copy of St John’s gospel – the key to life and all its fullness.
2. What if young people from every background of denomination [how wide is ‘every’?] might rise to the History Makers Challenge – to see their lives and contribution count.
3. Could all the Christian [note the pre-supposition that ‘all’ the groups involved are ‘Christian’] organisations that reach out [with what for salvation? – God’s Gospel to be preached or Satan’s Sacramentalism to be performed?] to young people collaborate [“can two walk together except they be agreed” Amos 3:3] on a single project for just one year.
Commendable as the idea of circulating a copy of John’s gospel may seem it requires more. Paul did not instruct Timothy to “distribute the word” but rather he instructed him to “PREACH the word” [2 Timothy 4:2]. The Ethiopian eunuch had a copy of God’s Word but needed a FAITHFUL preacher to explain it to him as Philip did in Acts 8:35.
When you read the following list of organisations that are supporting this History Makers Challenge you will realise that if they were being faithful to their declared understandings of the gospel [some true, some false] they would never be lining up together. However, provided that true biblical doctrines are not expounded, and fine sounding biblical terminology is used but not defined, then this unholy stew can bubble away happily in the ecumenical cooking pot. As you read through this list I challenge you to consider whether you or your church are currently supporting any of these groups and if so – should you continue to do so?
ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING ‘HISTORY MAKERS’
Presbyterian Church Youth Board; Methodist Dept. of Youth and Childrens Work; Church of Ireland Youth Dept.; Lifelink Churches; Youth Initiatives; Exodus; YWAM; Girls Brigade; Boys Brigade; Youth for Christ; YMCA; Crusaders; Scripture Union; Salvation Army; Youth Link NI; Tearfund; Summer Madness; Awake; Quaker Youth; CMSI; CAST; Cathog; Evangelical Catholic Initiative; Down and Connor Youth Commission; Trocaire.
The launch on Saturday 22 January is scheduled to run from 2.00pm-10.00pm [cost £3.50] and consisted of seminars/workshops etc with an evening of ‘praise’. Some of the heresies of Tony Campolo can be found detailed elsewhere on our web site [under ‘ASSORTED ARTICLES’]. The music of the evening of ‘praise’ was to be supplied by the Summer Madness and MANNAFEST Bands plus the Down and Connor Folk Group. The battle for the minds of young people is ‘on’. Satan wishes to keep them blinded [2 Corinthians 4:3-4] and the History Makers Challenge is set to aid his cause.
Cecil Andrews – ‘Take Heed’ Ministries – 6th May 2000