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AOG, CNP & Other Connections
2 Corinthians 11:13
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Evangelical pastor, Jim Nicholls showed his support of Scientology, by stating:
"There are many Bible-believing Evangelicals and others in the established Christian community who have not yet accepted the Church of Scientology. Nevertheless, they should thank the Lord for them, because the Scientologists have fought a lot of battles that have helped protect and safeguard freedom for us all.
Because of these efforts, Scientology is continuing to gain more and more acceptability among leaders in the religious community, and the Church has won most of its battles. However, while they are enjoying a breathing period, be assured there are a lot more battles to be fought, and won, down the road.
Rev. Jim Nicholls
Producer of Voice of Freedom
Radio and TV Show
http://recognizedscientology.com/page16.htm
As stated in the previous article, The Voice of Freedom shows are no longer produced. However, Jim Nicholls does continue to have influence as will be discussed. That Scientologists are welcomed and endorsed by ecumenical groups such as Toastmasters, should not be a surprise. That people view their inroads into all avenues of life as good, should also not be a surprise. The ecumenical nature of the world is being prepared to fully accept the "lying and signs and wonders," and all manner of false teaching which rejects Jesus Christ. The world is being prepared so that God's purposes will be fulfilled. Many claim to know God, but in reality reject His Truth.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Endorsing false teaching and false teachers is not sound doctrine. The concept of this 'freedom' that many advocate politically and religiously is not true freedom. In fact, it is a deception that lends itself to the ushering in of the anti-christ, one-world religion.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
In several of our other articles we have mentioned the ecumenical Assemblies of God and it's various connections. The Assemblies of God is a member of four national and international Christian organizations. These include the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), the Pentecostal World Conference (PWC), and the World Assemblies of God Fellowship (WAGF). The church's leadership also participates in many sub-groups of these organizations. [AOG >http://www.ag.org/top/about/about.cfm]
AOG, then is not merely Pentecostal, but charismatic. We've mentioned some of the more known members and leadership like Steve Hill and Paul (David) Yonggi Cho. Dr. Cho is at the top of the AOG hierarchy and has been Executive Committee Chairman of World A/G Fellowship since 1992. http://2000.agcongress.org/
Manassas Assembly of God [MAG] in Virginia, is one of numerous ``mega-churches'' that have sprung up in suburbs across the country. The charismatic Pentecostal congregation has grown so fast that it built a $13 million, 300,000-square-foot facility that seats 2,000 in the sanctuary and includes classrooms and a gym. Their first service in the new facility was 2/11/01. Senior Pastor Charles Nestor is assisted by several pastors including Scott Leib, who had been with him in other pastorates. [Staff>http://www.manassasag.org/staff.html]
Interviewed by the Washington Post when his new mega-church was opened, Nestor,
"... said the mall style was intentional. He compared the main Sunday service programs to anchor stores and the specialty ministries, such as ones for couples, to the smaller specialty stores..."I think our new complex is the way a church facility in the 21st century ought to be built," Nestor said. ....Church leaders said their rapid expansion is partly because of a similar rise in the county population, ... They also credited their ballooning memberships to the amenities that high-tech, multiuse and multidimensional complexes offer. Many of their new congregants, in fact, aren't traditional members of their denomination, they said.
"It doesn't really matter to them what the sign out front says," Nestor said. "People will come where they feel like there is a value to them and they're receiving something. If their spiritual needs and family needs are met, that's where they'll go. That's part of the reason you see larger churches across the country."
The Rev. Ray Bearden of the First Baptist Church of Woodbridge agreed. "The days of sticking out a basketball goal at the end of the parking lot don't really work anymore," he said.
His church's new facility will include TV screens, computer access in educational rooms, a high-tech sound system, lighting system and ample outdoor space for children to play. Bearden and others said the state-of-the-art equipment is designed to make the services more entertaining and interactive.
"People expect things to be the best and to have access to the best," Bearden said. "There is a kind of a spiritual consumerism that has developed. People don't have a brand loyalty to anything anymore, and that is true in the spiritual realm."..."
[Houses of Worship a Growth Industry; Mega-Churches Lure Time-Pressed Souls, 05/20/2001, Prince William Extra, FINAL, T01, Steven Ginsberg, NL Spec. Collection]
Consumerism, entertaining, access to the 'best' and interactive may be what the flesh wants, but making merchandise of the gospel of Jesus Christ is not of God.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ does not need to be 'sold' to a thirsting heart.
From their website, MAG states, "...We are a family-focused congregation celebrating the life of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. As a part of the Pentecostal-Charismatic tradition..."
In the Statement of beliefs is a direct link to the US. A/G Site Statement of Fundamental Truths.>http://ag.org/top/about/truths.cfm/
MAG's Beliefs include: Baptism of the Holy Ghost, which, "7. ...This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth (Acts 8:12-17; 10:44-46; 11:14-16; 15:7-9). http://www.manassasag.org/webelieve.html
- 8. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost
- The baptism of believers in the Holy Ghost is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4). The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use (1Corinthians 12:4-10, 28).
- 12. Divine Healing
- Divine healing is an integral part of the gospel. Deliverance from sickness is provided for in the atonement, and is the privilege of all believers (Isaiah 53:4,5; Matthew 8:16-17; James 5:14-16).
For refutation of these statements of belief, Please see: The Sins of the Father: Charles F. Parham; More Manifestations; Pentecostal Tongues and the Inner Ecstasy, Shepherds in Disguise; Tongues and similar in our other sections.
Eyewitnesses state that Charles Nestor has a physical ailment that results in him needing assistance walking occasionally, which seems to result in his focus, not on the divine healing and "Brownsville" style manifestations and word-faith teachings, but rather a more quiet Pentecostalism. Scott Leib, however, preaches and leads more into spontaneous prayer healing, intercession, etc. Leib also preached in support of the Prayer of Jabez as promoted by Bruce Wilkinson. See: Jabez for our evaluation on Bruce Wilkinson's teaching on that same subject.
Rev. Nestor attended the Friday, February 5, 1999, National Prayer breakfast along with members of Congress and world leaders, who listened to then president Bill Clinton speak about purging themselves from hatred and reconciling with their enemies. [Washington Post >www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/prayer020599.htm]
In other words, Nestor is well known and respected within a circle of ecumenical leadership.
According to the 1994 CRI article [http://www.equip.org/free/DR125.htm], Is Reconstructionism Merging with “Kingdom Now?” David Baird of the Victory Christian Center in Fairfax, Virginia, organized and hosted the “Symposium on Kingdom and Covenant”. "The August issue of Charisma magazine contained a full-page advertisement inviting 200 pastors and church leaders to the symposium. Pictured in the ad, along with the question, “What will these spokesmen for the kingdom of God be doing September 15-17?”, were Earl Paulk, Dennis Peacock, Gary DeMar, David Chilton, George Grant, Don Meares, Charles Nestor, and Ern Baxter. “It was an attempt to merge Reconstructionism with ‘Kingdom Now’ theology, and it was successful,” said Baird, a former Assemblies of God minister turned Reconstructionist...Reconstructionists speaking at the symposium were Gary North, DeMar, Chilton, and Grant...."
According to former adherents to MAG, Nestor denied to his congregation that he had any knowledge about what the Charisma ad picture was for. His statement was that, "he was asked if they could use his picture and name to support a Christian unity thing in Charisma magazine, and then he found out that it wasn't what they said it was."
Of the many past guest speakers to Manassas AOG, were members of the National Religious Broadcasters. Leo Godzich and his wife, Molly, are "certified marriage specialists," who have held a marriage seminar at Nestor's Manassas Assembly of God.
Leo Godzich is one of many men and women pastors at Phoenix First Assembly of God, [http://phoenixfirst.org/Church/pastors/Biographies.htm] which is lead by CNP's Tommy Barnett. Barnett is a member of David Yonggi Cho's board among others. From the Phoenix AOG, "...TIME Magazine has cited Phoenix First Assembly of God as the sixth largest church in the United Stated of any denomination, listing average weekend attendance in excess of 10,000. As the largest congregation in the Assemblies of God, the Church is looked to for direction and innovative leadership by the more than 5,000 pastors and church leaders who attend the annual Pastors' School at Phoenix First Assembly..." [History>http://www.phoenixfirst.org/about us.html] Others suggest Barnett's church is 3rd largest in the US.
Godzich heads NAME >http://www.nameonline.net/--National Association of Marriage Enhancement-- which promotes the Covenant Marriage. http://www.nameonline.net/issues/cmm.htm
According to Godzich, "The concept of covenant is the basis of the American legal system and that there is a higher law than human law. This belief was common at the founding of the nation, Godzich said. The Covenant Marriage Movement is what Godzich called a "grassroots popular movement" comprised of 30 national organizations. More than 70,000 Covenant Marriage Movement cards have been distributed nationwide and 100,000 are being printed. [Godzich>www.lakecityreporter.com/lifestyle/religion/stories/000428lr1.html]
The NAME website lists the following ecumenical groups as part of Covenant Marriage: American Association of Christian Counselors, Assemblies of God, The Center for Marriage & Family Studies, Christian Broadcast Network, Christian Men's Network, Covenant Keepers Inc., Covenant Marriages Ministry, Covenant Rebuilders, CrossLife Ministries, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of SBC, FamilyLife, Family Foundations International, FOCCUS Inc., Focus on the Family, Friends of the Family, Growth in Marriage Ministries, Intimate Life Ministries, Journey to Intimacy, LifeMates Ministries, LifeWay Christian Resources, Living Way Ministries, Marriage Ministries International, Marriage Plus Ministries, Marriage Savers, Masterful Living, Moody Bible Institute, National Association of Marriage Enhancement, Promise Keepers, Smalley Relationship Center, Southern Baptist Association of Counselors and Family Ministries, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary-Dept. of Pastoral Care and Counseling, Turnbull Ministries, Wellington Boone Ministries, Y.M.C.S. (Your Ministry Counseling Services)
MAG also had Mark Early speak at the July 4th 2001 service... he was Republican candidate for Governor in Virginia.
Those who believe that any political party reflects their Christian or true Biblical beliefs need to reevaluate their position.
E. Brandt Gustavson, who died May 14, 2001, was the head of the ecumenical National Religious Broadcasters [NRB] and also a friend of Charles Nestor. Following a private funeral on May 17, Charles Nestor officiated the public memorial service for Gustavson on June 8 at Manassas Assembly of God.
Gustavson served as chief executive of NRB, based in Manassas, Virginia, since 1990. He previously had been a member of the organization's executive committee and board of directors. From 1986 to 1990, he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Trans World Radio (TWR), now headquartered in Cary, North Carolina. He previously spent 25 years at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, directing its broadcasting network and later serving as vice president and administrator of development. He managed radio stations owned by the institute and also worked at several Midwest radio stations. He also had related literature ministries of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. >http://www.billygraham.org/home/flash.asp
Trans World Radio (TWR) http://www.twr.org>, which went on the air as TWR in 1960, was founded by former Youth for Christ missionary, Paul Freed. He broadcast prior to that as the Voice of Tangier from Morocco. Freed reportedly was at the 1948 Beatenburg (Switzerland) International Conference for Youth for Christ and was given a "message from the Lord" by a Spanish man, who said that he was to reach the Spanish people with the gospel by radio. [Diamond, p. 9]
Paul Freed is CNP's Ben Armstong's brother-in-law. Ben Armstrong was a director of Trans World Radio from 1958-1967 and was NRB's Executive Director from 1967 until 1990, when Gustavson took over as CEO. CNP's Stuart Epperson's wife--Nancy--is a board member of TWR. Many CNP members are also members of the various organizations listed.
E. Brandt Gustavson's former leadership positions included: President of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association >http://www.ecpa.org/; Charter Board Member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)> http://www.ecfa.org;
Member of TWR’s Board of Directors and its European Council; Vice Chairman of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF)> http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/, See: CNP's Alan Sears, President and CEO, Alliance Defense Fund. ;
Lifetime Member of the Board of Calvary Evangelistic Mission in San Juan, Puerto Rico>http://www.wbmjwivv.org/cemfm.htm; ... Member of the International Committee of Reference for New Life 2000 [Campus Crusade] See: CNP Joint Projects;
Member of the Board of Reference for the Christian Film and Television Commission >http://www.mediawisefamily.com/organization.html; Member of the Advisory Council of CEO Dialogues, Inc. >http://www.christianity.com/cma;
Member of the National Advisory Committee
for the National
Day of Prayer >http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/
[See: CNP's
B. Bright]; and Director of the International
Fellowship of Christians and Jews >http://www.ifcj.org/. [See:
CNP
Orgs]
The NRB issued a February 2001 press release stating that it's
1350 member group was no longer affiliated with the National
Association of Evangelicals (NAE). [PR]
The NRB had been a charter member since the NAE launched in
1944.
For our purposes we will focus on Denny Nissley's Christ In Action Ministries >http://www.christinaction.com [CIA]
Jim Nicholls & Christ in Action Ministries
Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Denny Nissley is director of Christ In Action Ministries [CIA]. Nissley, a friend of Leo Godzich, a pastor of Tommy Barnett's Phoenix First Assembly of God mentioned above, is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and a member of Charles Nestor's Manassas Assembly of God. Nestor has known Denny for at least fifteen years. According to Nissley in his book, Fear No Evil, "Sometimes Christ in Action acts as a stimulus to get churches or other ministries going or serves as the support system in crisis situations."[p.110] Former adherents recognize the ministry as word-faith, shepherding and charismatic in theology.
CIA was founded in January of 1982 by Denny and his wife Sandy Nissley and has grown over the years to include several different types of ministry. Funded by donations, it's 1999 returns showed it had assets of $81, 842 with an income of $228,686.
CIA does community outreaches called Family Fests >http://www.christinaction.com/family.html. The money is raised locally for each 'Fest'. . National T-Day >http://www.tday.org, " is a nationwide effort to empower students to bring the Ten Commandments back to school. Students wear a Ten Commandments T-shirt to school on November 17 in a symbolic reversal of Stone v. Graham (the 1980 U.S. Supreme Court case that essentially expelled the Ten Commandments from public school walls). CIA also does Disaster Relief. >http://www.christinaction.com/crisis.html
Rachel, the Nissley's oldest daughter is working as an extension of CIA in Brazil as a missionary reaching the street children through the Alburgue shelter. [http://www.christinaction.com/brazil.html]
The Nissley ministry itself is based in a unique truck in which the Nissley's, with their nine children, travel the US. It contains "
Denny Nissley also sports a large cross during his ministering, similar to the Jesus movement radical, Arthur Blessitt who has traveled the world carrying and/or dragging a 12 foot cross since 1971. Denny went to the Christ for the Nations Bible School in Dallas Texas. Gordon Lindsay a follower of Charles Parham, became prominent through his Voice of Healing organization and Christ For The Nations Institute in Dallas, Texas.
Denny Nissley, listed as an evangelist, travels extensively and was scheduled to speak at the charismatic New Wine Christian Center in York PA for some outreach on July 28-29/01 and he was in Chicago June 18-24, and Walker MN in mid July for the Moon Dance Festival (rock concert evangelism). http://www.newwinechristiancenter.org/
CIA's 2001 Board of Directors:
Dr. Denny Nissley, Director, Manassas VA
Rev. Allen Byerly, Thomasville, NC
Rev. Scott Leib, Manassas, VA--Senior Associate Pastor Manassas AOG, who also has a sermon supporting the Prayer of Jabez.
Mr. Richard Mellinger, Lancast5er, PA
Dr. Jim Nicholls, York, PA
Mr. Joe Randisi, Hilton Head, SC
Joel Thornton, Esq., Atlanta, GA
Dr. Jim Nicholls is the same Jim Nicholls who endorses The Church of Scientology. Jim Nicholls' brother, Preston, considers himself a researcher. Preston Nicholls and Peter Moon wrote on the so-called Montauk Project on Long Island, N.Y. http://www.omegactr.com/Back_List/96/September/0963188909.html
According to Nicholls and Moon, "Beginning with the Philadelphia Experiment in 1943, the Navy conducted invisibility experiments aboard the USS Eldrige, which resulted in full-scale teleportation. Massive research ensued for 40 years, which led to full-scale time travel at Montauk Point."
Due to the inroads into many churches and organizations, it becomes clear that Denny Nissley's word/faith, shepherding theology is also welcomed. Denny states in his autobiography, Fear No Evil , "I am also a member of the steering committee of the National Street Ministries Conference. The committee decided it would be good to hook up with Phoenix First Assembly for a major outreach [CNP's] Pastor Tommy Barnett's church at that time could seat 6,500 Our goal was to put on an event that would fill the church with troubled youth from all over the area" [ p.109]
According to Nissley, , "Sometimes Christ in Action acts as a stimulus to get churches or other ministries going or serves as the support system in crisis situations. This was the case in 1996 when my family and I traveled to south central Los Angeles to help a church called Victory Outreach." [Fear No Evil, p.110]
Passion for Souls Conference >http://www.christianet.com/streetconf/, formerly known as the Street Ministers Conference under Scott Hinkle. Speakers include Sonny Arguinzoni [Victory Outreach], [CNP's]Tommy Barnett, Scott Hinkle, Winkey Pratney, and Nicky Cruz and many others. It was to be held in Dallas, Texas, September 20-22, 2001
Scott Hinkel launched Soulwinners International Fellowship [SIF] >http://soulwinners.org/p2.html, which " is a network linking ministers and ministries across this nation to help preach the Gospel. Soulwinners International Fellowship was launched in Houston, Texas, October 1997 at "A Passion for Souls," The National Conference on Street, Inner-City & Evangelistic Ministries." SIF's board of advisors are Sonny Arguinzoni, Tommy Barnett and John Dawson.
Victory Outreach,>http://www.victoryoutreach.org/> founded by Sonny Arguinzoni, an ordained minister of Assemblies of God, "grew from one church to a worldwide network of over 500 churches and ministries with centers in 18 countries from Mexico to the Netherlands to the Philippines." According to various articles Sonny started the group after a vision and God speaking to him directly. It's stated focus is on making drug addicts and gang members productive members of society. However, those who have been involved in it, as supporters or attendees, do not all see it as a positive or Christ-centered ministry. Rather, the words, "manipulative, controlling, and abusive in its authoritarian leadership style," are used. [pastor>http://www.rickross.com/reference/victory_outreach2.html]
According to a former pastor of the group,
"...Sonny’s world vision to "TAKE THE INNER CITIES OF THE WORLD FOR JESUS". I believe he thinks that he and the Victory Outreach Ministries that he controls are God’s chosen end time army to accomplish this. He says of himself "MY MIDDLE NAME IS VISION, I EAT VISION, I SLEEP VISION, I DREAM VISION, I AM VISION." The whole organization revolves around Pastor Sonny and his vision. It is the focus of everything we did and tried to accomplish as ministers, it is the focus of every Victory Outreach conference and event. The latest vision prior to my leaving—that Pastor Sonny and his elders laid on us—is the vision to have 1,000 churches by the year 2000. The way they came up with this vision was by sitting around talking about vision and getting high and loaded on the Holy Ghost....People are seen as commodities to promote their vision through the giving of their FINANCES and their TOTAL COMMITMENT to Pastor Sonny’s cause. One of his schemes is to get everyone (and he means everyone) in the Victory Outreach organization to commit themselves to the giving of a dollar a day to finance his 1,000 churches by the year 2000 thrust. He calls it "UNITED WE CAN" and if you’re not part of it then you don’t have the vision and you are uncommitted etc....The live-in rehabilitation homes of Victory Outreach are nothing more than indoctrination centers and are unbiblical. The residents are required to give up their total freedom for a one year period of time ...[under] strict and tightly regulated permission of the leadership. Total unquestioned obedience and loyalty to leadership is a major emphasis taught in these homes. Many of the Director’s of these home is total dictator’s not servants....The introduction for the first time of the word of faith teachers at the 1995 world conference at the Long Beach Convention Center. Marilyn Hickey spoke to the women of Victory Outreach in a special women only session and Morris Cerullo Spoke at an evening session—this was one of the biggest shows and put-ons that I have ever witnessed—especially at the altar call when he began literally hitting people in the foreheads to make them fall to be slain in the Spirit. Note: All of the evening sessions at the Victory Outreach world conferences air on T.B.N. and on "All American TV Inc."—Pastor Sonny and Nicky Cruz are President and Vice President of "All American TV" and broadcast most of the TBN programming....."[Pastor B>http://www.rickross.com/reference/victory_outreach1.html]
For more on word/faith, etc. see: More Manifestations! Less Bible, Shepherds in Disguise; Youth as an Army- Joel's Global Police Force? or Elijah's Revolution?
Next Section: Ecumenical & Global Connections
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