Christians That Partner with False Teachers and Think They are Defending Liberty for the Sake of the Gospel are Compromising the Gospel for the Sake of Liberty<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
By Brannon S. Howse
 
A few weeks ago I received a letter from a well-known evangelical leader rebuking me because I was pointing out that Christian leaders such as David Barton and Pastor Jim Garlow should not be speaking at conferences for and with members of the New Apostolic Reformation or partnering with New Age Mormon Glenn Beck. I have sought to give this warning in as loving and Christ-like manner as I know how. This is not a gray issue. The Bible is very clear about partnering with false teachers. I have now waited two weeks for a replay and despite confirmation that this gentleman received my response to his letter; I have not received a response from him as I requested. I am posting his letter to me and my response to him because I believe the American church has entered into the most dangerous time ever in our nation's history and I am pleading with Christians to join me in warning the church about the greatest threat we face. I believe the imminent and more serious threat to the church in America is coming from a religious Trojan horse rather than from the government.  In Acts 20:28-31 we read:
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
The gentleman that e-mailed me is for all purposes off the national stage and is rather advanced in his age and for this reason I am not going to name him. In addition, he e-mailed me personally when he could have chosen to blast me publically. Therefore, it would not be right to name him so please do not e-mail me guessing at who it might be. In addition, I want this issue to be about Biblical principles and not about personalities. As you read a portion of his letter to me and a portion of my response to him, my goal is to awaken the church in America to think about what is really important. Our first calling must be the preaching of the gospel and we must realize that our greatest threat is not from the government but from false teachers.
A few years ago, I had to repent for being guilty of Americanism; for having a greater commitment to liberty and freedom than I did for proclaiming the gospel and making disciples of Jesus Christ. I pray this column causes you to repent of the same sin if necessary. Here is the letter I received and below his letter is my response to this gentleman: Dear Brannon, 
(Some identifying information has been removed from the letter)
I have watched him [Glenn Beck] carefully for years, and while he doesn't do things and say things the way you and I would, remember he is not a preacher.  But he does say more gospel at times (and a few way out things) that many gospel preachers don't even say in their churches or on TV or radio.  And in my judgment, he is the best thing that has happened to TV in my lifetime.  Not because I agree with everything he says, but like others on Fox, right now they are doing more to promote getting America back to the basic Christian values this nation was founded on than anyone in my lifetime. Certainly more than the five prominent secular networks.  
When I heard Dr. Francis Schaffer say part of the reason we were losing our country to the secular socialists was because the church bought into the pietistic philosophy that "politics was a dirty business, we Christian should never get involved in politics but leave that to the nice civic minded people while we preach the gospel."  He condemned that idea and said to save our nation and its unique religious freedom principles we should get heavily involved in educating Christians and others who share our moral values, getting them registered and out to vote on Election Day.  That it is no compromise when working with people of other faiths as "cobelligerents" (his term), people we could not work with in the spreading of the Gospel but as fellow citizens we can work with them to save the country. 
…I took this to heart…to save religious freedom for the preaching of the gospel and the freedom to teach our own children by activating Americans who share our concern for returning this country through the ballot box to the traditional values of our basically Christian Founding Fathers and adherence to our U.S. Constitution.  I can assure you, when the time comes to oppose a religious union (like the Harlot of Babylon in Revelation) of people regardless what they think about Jesus Christ and His Word, Pastor Jim Garlow and I will be right there with you.
God bless you my friend, (name removed)
 
Here is a portion of my response:
Dear ­­­ (name removed)
You know my great respect for you so I appreciate you e-mailing me today with your concerns and for the opportunity to explain the Biblical reasons for my recent radio programs.  
Today, I play audio clips of Cindy Jacobs speaking of having Jim Garlow and David Barton with her at a conference. Websites report that Jim was actually at her 2009 and 2010 Convergence Conference. Cindy Jacobs is part of the New Apostolic Reformation and sees herself as a prophet. C. Peter Wagner years ago wrote that she is "the U.S. national apostle".  I also play clips of Jim on the platform with Lou Engle. Lou, according to his website, is with the International House of Prayer.  The New Apostolic Reformation movement believes in extra Biblical revelation, prophets, apostles, and host of other heresies.
The mixing of evangelicals with false prophets for the sake of the culture war is really an offense to the Gospel. God is not dependent on us to violate Biblical principles in order to be successful at restoring righteousness. How can we restore righteousness through an unrighteous manner? How can we hope to restore Biblical principles within government when we have willingly violated Biblical principles within the church? The end does not justify the means. The culture war is really the byproduct of a spiritual battle and the spiritual condition of America. The church cannot confront the cultural and spiritual problems by compromising on Biblical and spiritual issues.
God is watching and I contend that our efforts are being thwarted by God as Divine judgment for setting aside Scriptural warnings and uniting with false teachers in spiritual enterprises intertwined with our Christian activism. 
If Biblically sound Christians stand together for righteousness in the public square and yet we lose we still win because we were able to lift up the gospel in our Godly efforts. However, if Christians compromise the gospel and unite with false teachers in spiritual and political enterprises, regardless of the political outcome, we will have lost because we gave credibility to false teachers and their false gospel. I believe this is Satan's strategy. Satan has moved his false teachers into our camp as a religious Trojan horse and Christian leaders have embraced the Trojan horse of false teachers.
Our willingness to lose our liberty and freedom and to even be enslaved before we compromise the gospel is how we can win and win for eternity. Such reckless abandonment for Christ is what God can choose to bless. I guarantee you that God is not going to bless with greater freedom and liberty an American church and its leaders that are embracing religious syncretism, compromise, and apostasy.
Christians uniting with the NAR crowd and false teachers not only keeps God from blessing our efforts but it damages our testimony to the unsaved world that is watching. I have been reading numerous secular websites over the past few days and many of the unsaved are openly writing that they cannot believe that evangelicals are uniting with what even they know are false teachers. How sad that the unsaved world is stunned by our compromise.
You speak of being co-belligerents with unbelievers on social issues. However, this is not working with unbelieves on fighting abortion or same-sex marriage. Christian leaders joining Glenn Beck in what Beck referred to as uniting all faiths and looking to one God is not being a co-belligerent on political or civic issues. This is deliberately joining in spiritual enterprises with unbelievers and false teachers.  
Liberty University through Awakening 2010 had Cindy Jacobs and Rick Joyner with them. This is becoming a real problem and we are watching evangelicals give credibility to what I believe is the formation of the false church.
Can you imagine what Vance Havner, Walter Martin, Donald Barnhouse, J. Vernon McGee would say to this? They would be on my program shouting Amen.
2 John 9-11 speaks of not greeting or inviting into your house one that does not bring the essential Christian doctrines less you partake in their evil deeds. The NAR crowd is all about pushing a false Jesus, a false gospel and an unclean spirit.  This issue is also addressed in 2 Corinthians 6:14 where we are told not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. I believe the fruit of the doctrine of some of the NAR leaders reveals they are false converts, false prophets and thus false brethren. This is so black and white. I am stunned that I must make this case to you. I remember being around 7 years old when my parents attended one of your conferences in Washington D.C. Your name was held in high esteem before me as I grew up. You were one of the men I looked to emulate. I feel as though I have been punched in the stomach to think that I have to explain this to one of my spiritual heroes.
In regards to Glenn Beck, do you know how many people Glenn is leading to hell and how much credibility he is getting from pastors? Have you read Glenn's new book, Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life that came out in January? Here is a link to a review I wrote on this book: http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=6809
Why does a 41 year old have to warn the elders of the church?
The late Vance Havner was correct when he declared:  "The devil is not fighting religion; he is too smart for that. He is producing a counterfeit Christianity so much like the real one that good Christians are afraid to speak out against it."
I pray that America's Christians and pastors will understand that there is an unbiblical and dangerous spiritual convergence taking place throughout the nation and the world and today is the day to choose whether you will uncompromisingly stand for the living God or give creditability to pagan spirituality.
 In I Kings 18:20-21 Elijah declared to the Children of Israel, who were seeking to follow God while also mixing their worship of God with pagan spirituality, that they must choose to whom they would pledge their allegiance. Elijah asked the Israelites "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."
Yes, I would like to see the progressives defeated and the original intent of America's Founding Fathers restored, but that certainly will not happen if the true Bride of Christ compromises on Biblical truth. This is no time to be committed to pragmatism because the end does not justify the means. The means simply declares our priorities and Whom we really serve.
Now we see the religious right, the GOP, Glenn Beck, the NAR, the Tea Party and the dominion theology crowd converging for the sake of political spoils.
Christians that partner with false teachers in spiritual enterprises and think they are defending liberty for the sake of the gospel are actually compromising the gospel for the sake of liberty.
I appreciate the opportunity to answer your concerns but I believe you owe it to me to respond to a clearly stated theological and doctrinal response to your e-mail. Please tell me if you can or cannot now agree that it is our job to warn the church when our Christian leaders embrace false teachers?
America needs men like William Tyndale and John Wycliffe that have the courage to speak the truth even if it is not popular with the religious leaders of the day.
Spurgeon said "to pursue unity at the expense of truth is treason to Jesus."
Awaiting your reply, respectfully, your friend,Brannon Howse
Here is a video clip of Cindy Jacobs doing her thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPeLh3XUfRU
 
Here is a video clip of Lou Engel on "Word of Knowledge" and dreams http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tEZIRlvSFU