21% of Atheists believe in God

According to a recent Pew report, not only do 21% of Atheists believe in God, but 6% of Atheists believe God is personal. Perhaps this segment of the Atheist community is hedging their bets so to speak. The graphic to the right gives you Pew's breakdown on the issue of the concept of God. You can also click on the graphic to see the complete report.

Southern Gospel Singer Denounces the Trinity and Deity of Christ

Southern gospel singer, Joel Hemphill, 8-time Dove Award winner and '07 Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee is the center of controversy due to his views on the Trinity and the deity of Christ. He has drawn criticism from Dr. Robert Sumner of The Biblical Evangelist, James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries, Dr. Rick Watson of Columbia Evangelical Seminary and James Kieferdorf who is the original whistleblower on this story.

Hemphill says God gave him a message in 1986. Below is a comparison of a statement from the message and Hemphill's subsequent statements. Notice the contradiction.

God’s Message to Hemphill

“God said, '...I am the Lord God of the Mighty Hosts, the great King, soon coming back in majesty as the Bridegroom to receive a bride that has made herself ready,’ and He wanted to be presented in that manner.” (http://www.thehemphills.com/messagefromgod.html)

Hemphill’s Statements

• “the doctrine of the Trinity is Biblically naked.....” (http://www.trumpetcallbooks.com/trinity_truth.html)
• “Jesus is not... the second person of a triune God, a pre-existent being...” (http://www.trumpetcallbooks.com/trinity_truth.html)
• “Does Jesus have a God? Yes....” (http://www.trumpetcallbooks.com/Jesus_God.html)
• “Jesus is not God Himself in human flesh......” (http://www.trumpetcallbooks.com/emmanuel.html)

Evidently Hemphill does not adhere to the1986 message because it refers to Jesus' divinity. Jesus is the Bridegroom of the bride (the Church) and is the One who is coming back in majesty. Not only are Hemphill’s views contrary to historic biblical Christianity, but his statements contradict his own information.

Watchman Fellowship cited in Fox News Channel story on the theology of Oprah

Evangelical concerns about the theology of Oprah Winfrey was reported earlier yesterday on the Fox News Channel. Watchman Fellowship was cited and part of our video clip “The Gospel of Oprah” was aired in the report along with several other Christian ministries. To see the story click on the Fox News Video picture.

One Way or Many Ways? The Gospel According to Oprah

Watchman Fellowship has a video clip of Oprah Winfrey discussing Jesus and salvation on her TV show. To see the video clip click on the picture to the right.

Watchman Fellowship article on Oprah Winfrey: http://www.wfial.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=artNewAge.article_1

What's this? Now they claim a resurrection before Jesus

I read a recent piece on WorldNetDaily titled “What’s This? Now they claim a resurrection before Jesus.” From what I understand, similar stories also appeared in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and the Dallas Morning News.

According to a scholar who has studied the ancient relic mentioned in the story, the New Testament account of Christ’s resurrection is confirmed as a myth due to this particular relic and therefore will be a shocking challenge to Christian theology.

It's amazing to me that some scholars are so eager to reject the New Testament -in particular Christ and His claims- that they will base their conclusions on an incomplete relic. Since so much of New Testament history has been confirmed via archaeology it seems more logical to grant it the credibility it deserves. Furthermore, I don't see how it's logical to conclude that since there might have been another resurrection "story" that some how that makes the New Testament account untrue. It seems absurd to me.

Link to the article: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=68924

Dr. Gary Habermas of Liberty University has written a response to this titled, "'Gabriel's Vision' and the Resurrection of Jesus." You can read it here: http://www.garyhabermas.com/articles/gabrielsvision1/gabrielsvision.htm

President of Watchman Fellowship, James Walker, interviewed about polygamous cult, FLDS

Cult expert, James Walker, who is the President of Watchman Fellowship, recently was interviewed on Good Day on Dallas' FOX affiliate, KDFW-FOX 4 News. The 3-5 minute interview was on the polygamous group, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). If you'd like to see the interview click on the picture.

Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon Church - Fastest Growing Church Bodies in America and Canada

According to the National Council of Churches 2008 Yearbook of Churches report, Jehovah’s Witnesses, who rank 25th in size among U.S. churches, reported the largest increase in membership since the publication of the 2007 Yearbook: 2.25 percent, with 1,069,530 members. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grew 1.56 percent to 5,779,316 members. Other bodies in the top 25 churches that reported membership increases were the Southern Baptist Convention (0.22 percent, to 16,306,246 members), …the Roman Catholic Church (0.87 percent to 67,515,016 members) and the Assemblies of God (0.19 percent to 2,836,174 members).

Link to the report: http://www.ncccusa.org/news/080215yearbook1.html

Mormon Apologist Defends the Book of Mormon

This is a clip of a Mormon apologist speaking at an annual Mormon apologetics conference on the Book of Mormon. The clip is about 4 minutes long or so. The clip gives you a glimpse of how the LDS Church attempts to defend the Book of Mormon.

Salt Lake Tribune article, “Single word change in Book of Mormon speaks volumes”

The Book of Mormon has experienced over 4,000 changes since its publication in 1830. A recent change, however, has caused much controversy. In fact, the recent change is likely due to a controversy that has been raging for a few years now regarding the fact that DNA evidence contradicts LDS Church’s belief that Native Americans are of Jewish descent.

Link to the article: http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/28213

I highly recommend the DVD, “DNA vs. The Book of Mormon.” Click on the image to see a description of the DVD.

Archbishop of Canterbury calls for Islamic Sharia Law in England

Check out this article from RealClearPolitics, “England’s Crisis is Ours Too.”

According to the piece, “Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, publicly called this week for the recognition of ‘some form of’ Shariah law for Muslims in Britain, and said it should be given equal status with parliamentary law.”

Link to the article: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/02/englands_crisis_is_ours_too.html

Is Jack Van Impe Setting Dates?

Below are several statements made by Jack Van Impe, host of the TV show “Jack Van Impe Presents,” regarding specific dates for end-times events.

Van Impe made this statement in answer to this question: “The year 2012 has been in recent discussions, but the year 2018 always stays with me as an important year also – 70 years from 1948. Is there any significance to this date?”

“You’re very close, Keith but we don’t begin with Israel becoming a nation, in 1948. We begin with Daniel 9:24 the Jews capturing Jerusalem, Luke 21:24. A generation is 52 years, Matthew 1:17. Add it to 1967 and it comes out to 2019, minus 7 years for the Rapture – 2012. I hope that’s good.”

Link: http://www.jvim.org/qotw/archive.php?display=11

Van Impe also made this statement in response to the question “The Mayan calendar ends December 25, 2012. How does that date correlate with our calendar and the Hebrew calendar?”

“Well, first of all, it is not December 25, it is December 21 of 2012 that the world supposedly will end, according to the Mayan calendar. However, it will never end because it's a world without end, Isaiah 45:17 and Ephesians 3:21. How does it apply to our calendar? Same dates. Same time exactly. But the Jewish calendar is something like 240 years or more behind. But Eleizer Shulman in the Jerusalem Post did a tremendous article showing how in the book of Numbers there was an error made by the Jewish scribes who kept the dates, and they are really at the same year we are now, if they corrected their calendar. Plus, I have a genealogical chart at home starting with Adam and all the generations, and names every one of them and how long they lived, and it comes out exactly to the date of our calendar. So I don't believe that that could be the Rapture, because we need seven years between that and Christ coming to earth. I believe it could be the beginning of Armageddon.”

Link: http://www.jvim.org/qotw/archive.php?display=76

In answer to another question regarding Van Impe’s statements about his 2018 statements, Van Impe said,

“Well he's referring to what I've said in the past, that in Mark 1:17, there were 42 generations, and that is from Abraham to Christ, a total of 2160 years. So when one divides 42 into 2160, it comes out to basically 51.5 years. So a generation is not 40 years as we so often said, or others have said, but 51.4. Then when we get to Luke chapter 3, verses 23 to 38, there is 77 generations from Adam to Christ and that's 4,000 years. When one divides 77 into 4,000, he also comes out to 51.9 years. So a generation is 51 years. We begin counting this countdown to the return of Christ from the time that Jerusalem is captured by the Jews, Luke 21:24, because the 70 weeks are determined upon thy people, the Jews, Daniel 9:24. So when one adds 51.5 to 1967, when the Jews captured Jerusalem, it comes out to 2018. Now, I cannot accept what our dear brother has just said, for this reason. Adam lived to be 930 years, Genesis 5:5, and Methuselah 969 years. So you can't say a generation is 900 or 1,000 years. God puts them all together from Adam right up until His Son in Luke 3:23 to 38 and it comes out to 51.9 and that's 2018. We don't set a date now. But Jesus said, I command you to know when it's near, even at the door, Matthew 24:33 and 36.”

Link: http://www.jvim.org/qotw/archive.php?display=199

Van Impe also made this statement in answer to another one of his viewer's questions on a recent show and it is in the "Question of the Week" section on his website, www.jvim.org:

"In the light of everything we've said today this is such an important question. I have read the book The Fingerprints of the Gods. It's a tremendous volume and it covers the Inca and Aztec calendars, both ending on December 25th, 2012. Now, what could it mean? When they talk about the end of the world, as far as the Incas and Aztecs are concerned, they don't mean the end of the world because they have five endings and one of them was Noah's experience with the flood. It didn't end the world. Furthermore, as you know and as I’ve said already in this program, the world is never going to end, Isaiah 45:17 and Ephesians 3:21. So what could it mean? Oh, I'm excited. In Matthew 1 verse 17 it lists 42 generations from Abraham to Christ. 42. Historically, that covers 2,160 years. Divide 42 into that number and you come out to 51.4 years. What's the countdown? Jerusalem being taken by the Jews, for Jerusalem starts the seven-year period of tribulation, Daniel 9:24. Add 51.4 to 1967 and you come out to 2018. But I just saw this, this week: you add the extra six months because it happened in June of '67 and the 4/10 and you come out to 2019 and take away the 7 from that and you come out to 2012. Could it be on Christmas day Jesus Christ would come at that moment? We don't know the day and hour, Matthew 24:36, but Jesus commands us to know when it's near even at the door. I'm not dogmatic on this, but could this be the thing that's going to be revealed through the Inca and Aztec's calendars? Come, Lord Jesus." (emphasis added)

Van Impe also made this statement in 2004 on his show and in his "Question of the Week" on his website:

"I've said in the past, that in Mark 1:17, there were 42 generations, and that is from Abraham to Christ, a total of 2160 years. So when one divides 42 into 2160, it comes out to basically 51.5 years. So a generation is not 40 years as we so often said, or others have said, but 51.4. Then when we get to Luke chapter 3, verses 23 to 38, there is 77 generations from Adam to Christ and that's 4,000 years. When one divides 77 into 4,000, he also comes out to 51.9 years. So a generation is 51 years. We begin counting this countdown to the return of Christ from the time that Jerusalem is captured by the Jews, Luke 21:24, because the 70 weeks are determined upon thy people, the Jews, Daniel 9:24. So when one adds 51.5 to 1967, when the Jews captured Jerusalem, it comes out to 2018. Now, I cannot accept what our dear brother has just said, for this reason. Adam lived to be 930 years, Genesis 5:5, and Methuselah 969 years. So you can't say a generation is 900 or 1,000 years. God puts them all together from Adam right up until His Son in Luke 3:23 to 38 and it comes out to 51.9 and that's 2018. We don't set a date now. But Jesus said, I command you to know when it's near, even at the door, Matthew 24:33 and 36." (emphasis added)