Author Accuses Christian Publisher of Dabbling in 'New Age' Spirituality
Publisher Sponsor of Three-City Annual Youth Workers Conference
By Jim Brown
September 29, 2005

(AgapePress) - A leading Christian publisher of youth ministry material is being accused of introducing young people to practices rooted in New Age Eastern spirituality.

Today, the 2005 National Youth Workers Conference kicks off in Sacramento, California, but not without criticism. The conference is sponsored by Youth Specialties, a group that one Christian author says introduces students to labyrinth walks, yoga, and contemplative prayer practices. For that reason, Cathy Mickels -- co-author of the book Spiritual Junkfood: The Dumbing Down of Christian Youth -- is advising youth workers and parents to distance themselves from the conference and Youth Specialties.

"One of their goals, they say, is to know God first-hand as a living reality. That's why they're putting kids into contemplative prayer-type situations," she explains. "How do we know God first-hand as a living reality? We read the Word of God because it is God-breathed and it is God-inspired. [What Youth Specialties is doing] is an undermining of God's Word; this is an undermining of the Christian faith."

Mickels also claims Youth Specialties teaches youth pastors to introduce students to ancient eastern spiritual practices.

"Nowhere in God's Word does it say that you take kids on labyrinth walks, [or] that you introduce students to yoga or to contemplative prayer practices where you say a word over and over again to put yourself into what Youth Specialties says is a 'semi-conscious state,'" she states. "None of these practices are in God's Word."

She says parents and youth workers need to be aware that those who approve of putting Christian youth into this semi-conscious state "are the same people sponsoring this Youth Workers' conference."

Mickels, who is former president of Eagle Forum in the state of Washington, contends that Youth Specialties and other evangelical leaders are "blurring the lines" between Eastern religions and the Christian faith. "It's hard to believe that while Christian parents have been fighting against the introduction of yoga and Eastern practices into the public schools, those in charge of training our Christian youth are introducing the same principles into the church."

Among the featured speakers at the Sacramento conference are Mark Yaconelli, who is the director of the Youth Ministry and Spirituality Project, and Doug Fields, the youth pastor at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in California. Musicians featured include the Chris Tomlin Band, the David Crowder Band, and Jars of Clay.


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Jim Brown, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
© 2005 AgapePress all rights reserved

Chuck Swindoll - Insight for Living
Chuck Swindoll Goes After the Silence and the Solitude

Writes New Book on the Spiritual Disciplines

So, You Want to Be Like Christ?
Eight Essentials to Get You There
by Charles Swindoll of Insight for Living

A Book on the Solitude and Silence of
Contemplative Prayer

This book should have been subtitled:
"The Eight Spiritual Disciplines of Richard Foster"
Swindoll favorably quotes and describes the spirituality of Richard Foster, who is a disciple of Thomas Merton.

Another Christian leader who has succumbed to the new spirituality that is permeating the church.

Quotes the following:
Richard Foster
Henri Nouwen
Dallas Willard
Eugene Peterson (the Message)
Philip Yancey

QUOTES FROM THE BOOK:

"So you want to be like Christ? Me too. But that kind of godliness won't just happen ... Disciplining ourselves will require the same kind of focused thinking and living that our Master modeled." Introduction

"Let's commit ourselves to these eight spiritual disciplines." Introduction

"Henri Nouwen ... longed to get away from all those words ... So how do we pull it off? How, in a world bent on distracting us from growing deeper? ... How do you and I become more godly? ... The word is discipline. The secret lies in our returning to the spiritual disciplines." p. 9, 10.

"I have sensed a genuine need—in my own life —for the cultivation of intimacy with the Almighty.... God requires spiritual disciplines ... essential in our pursuit of godliness. ... I came across Dallas Willard's excellent work The Spirit of the Disciplines." p. 12

"Richard Foster's meaningful work
Celebration of Discipline ..." p. 15

"Discipline. This is the means for having intimacy with God. ... Discipline is control gained by enforced obedience. It is the deliberate cultivation of inner order. So how are intimacy and discipline connected? ... Discipline is the means to that end." p. 21

The Chapter on Silence and Solitude
Journey into Silence
The Ministry of Silence
Quoting Henri Nouwen's book The Way of the Heart.

Note: In September 2005, we were informed that Chuck Swindoll was favorably quoting Henri Nouwen and Richard Foster on his Insight For Living program. We contacted Insight for Living and spoke with Pastor Graham Lyons. We shared our concerns, then later sent A Time of Departing to him and also a copy to Chuck Swindoll.

In a letter dated 10/3/05 from Pastor Lyons, we were told, "With his schedule I doubt he will read it." We are sorry that Chuck Swindoll has time to read Henri Nouwen and Richard Foster but no time to read A Time of Departing, especially in light of the fact that thousands of people will read Chuck Swindoll's book, listen to his broadcasts and now believe that the contemplative authors are acceptable and good.

Incidentally, Swindoll quoted these men, not just a few times, but many times throughout the book.

David Jeremiah Speaks Favorably of Contemplatives and New Agers

David Jeremiah's 2003 book, Life Wide Open, has a subtitle of "Unleashing the Power of a Passionate Life." In the introduction of the book, Jeremiah tells readers that "A Small handful among us have discovered what the rest of us would pay dearly to know:How can we bring real, living excitement into this life?" Jeremiah goes on to tell readers that "This book is a map to the life of passion and purpose, the life wide open..."

Who are these small handful of people who have discovered the secret? Well according to David Jeremiah's book, his list includes Rick Warren of the Purpose Driven Life, contemplative, feminine spiritualist Sue Monk Kidd ( When the Heart Waits See Monk Kidd quote below), contemplative Calvin Miller (Into the Depths of God), Buddhist sympathizer Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline), emerging church leader, Erwin McManus, contemplative Michael Card, Brother Lawrence (Practicing the Presence of God), and mystic Jim Collins.

When we found out a couple months ago that Dr. Jeremiah would be sharing a platform this fall with New Age sympathizer Ken Blanchard, we thought Jeremiah was naive when it came to Blanchard's New Age leanings. We tried to warn him. But if his 2003 book, Life Wide Open, is any indication, Jeremiah has been dabbling with contemplative spirituality for quite some time.
Note: On September 15th, we emailed Dr. Jeremiah to ask him to comment on his book. We never received a response.

Quote from Sue Monk Kidd: "Divine immanence [God in everything], on the other hand, is divinity here, near and now, inherent in the material stuff of life....It will also be here, right now, in me, in the earth, in this river and this rock, in excrement and roses alike." Sue Monk Kidd, Dance of the Dissident Daughter, p. 160.

Related Information:


Jeremiah Endorses Back Cover on emerging leader, Erwin McManus' book, Seizing the Divine

Dr. Jeremiah Writes "Public" Letter to Lighthouse Trails

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletternovember05.htm