ONE GOD = ONE CHURCH?

According to a recent report by Charisma News Service (6-5-02) and the website of the Center for Spiritual Renewal, a historic event for the world of Pentecost took place in a meeting that was held at the end of April by Robert Fisher, director of CSR.  At this summit, Mr. Fisher had gathered leaders from most of the major Pentecostal and Word of Faith denominations and churches, and major movers in the Charismatic movement.  Not since the early revivals of the late 19th and early 20th century had major figures in this world-wide movement been in "one accord in one place."

The purpose of the meeting, according to CSR, was to unite in their history, and not to discuss issues of doctrine and faith.  Present at the meeting were the General Superintendents of the Assemblies of God and the United Pentecostal Church (Thomas Trask and Kenneth Haney, respectively), International Foursquare President Paul Risser, International Pentecostal Holiness Church General Superintendent James Leggett, and tele-evangelists Kenneth and Gloria Copeland -- leaders in the Word of Faith movement.  Representatives of the Church of God of Prophecy, the Church of God in Christ, and the Church of God Cleveland were also present.

It was not only remarkable that the event itself took place, but the kindred reception the Oneness Pentecostals received at this occasion.  It was also remarkable that Oneness Pentecostals even bothered to attend considering their arrogant position of being the only faith that teaches true salvation.

Though nothing was reported about possible reconciliation among the faiths or of creating an ecumenical movement among the similar denominations, this meeting does beg the question: Where do they go from here?
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TELEVANGELIST KNOWS WHEN TO FOLD 'EM

Spirit-filled Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson is not just "horsing" around when it comes to his conservative, fundamentalist religious beliefs, or his right-sided views in politics -- he means business.  However, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Christian Coalition was left "wrangling" up excuses when the New York Times revealed another business venture Pat was involved in -- a venture that has left many other Christian conservatives wondering which ranch he is riding for.

Two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, the Times revealed that the one-time Republican  presidential hopeful owns a business called Tega Stable, which houses the race horses he also owns, including one that he hoped to race in this year's Derby.  Though he intended to keep his equine endeavors a secret, he defended them stating he loved the horses and not the industry that supported them.  He also stated that he hoped people did not bet on his horses.

Critics were not so amused, and one -- according to the Times report -- stated that his owning race horses while condemning the industry that supports them was equivalent to owning a bordello and condemning prostitution.

After an avalanche of criticism, Robertson gave in.  No longer "horsing around," he intends to sell "the ranch" in the next few months.
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IS SATAN WINNING IN INGLIS?

As reported earlier in Delivered!, the mayor of the town of Inglis, Florida officially proclaimed that Satan and his forces were not welcome in her town.  The Church of God member was responding to changes in their community, and recent doomsday sermons by her pastor, according to a recent report from the Orlando Sentinel.

New City Commissioner Gene Kiger feels that this Satanic preoccupation -- which has only been exacerbated by continued media coverage -- has led attention away from municipal issues that concern the city.  He feels that the city should focus on road paving, and developing a sewage system -- things that the city needs to develop in order to accommodate a possible influx of new residents that may come when the state builds a new highway spur to their city.
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THE LEAST OF THESE
No Longer Welcome -- Part One

After attending services at Houston's Vineyard Church in the Heights for nearly two years, lesbian couple Marti and Donna Rickard were not only told they could no longer participate in communion or worship, but that they were no longer welcome to enter the building.  Pastor Michael Palandro believes that homosexuality is a sin, but apparently did not mind their fellowship for the last two years since the couple had confessed their relationship to his wife shortly after joining.  According to the Houston Press (5/2/02) which broke the story, the pastor was just giving them time to heal, though the couple stated it was more likely that the pastor might have been influenced by the congregation's reaction to a visiting Vineyard minister's positive comments on gays and lesbians within his own assembly.  During that service, all but the handful of homosexuals within the Houston congregation left, after which anti-homosexual remarks were made nearly every service, according to the couple.

Marti and Donna felt it was God's will for them to attend this church formerly affiliated with the Assemblies of God.  They heard from friends at the time that although the church had issues with such orientation, they seemed to be developing a more tolerant attitude.

In an earlier unrelated article in the Press (4/4/02), Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston was asked about such sexual topics as homosexuality and abortion.   In that interview, he inferred that he steers clear of such topics, preferring to be an "encourager."
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SINS OF MY MOTHER
No Longer Welcome -- Part Two

A 5-year-old in California was recently expelled from Capital Christian School.  She was not removed for academic or disciplinary reasons, but for reasons pertaining to Christian morals -- or at least the absence of them by her mother.  According to several reports, CCS -- a ministry of Capital Christian Center (one of the largest Assemblies of God churches in the US) -- removed the young girl when it discovered her mother was working as an exotic dancer to pay for the $400 monthly tuition.  The former Sunday school teacher was also told that while she continued her chosen profession, neither her nor her daughter would be allowed to attend services at the ministry's church where they once claimed membership.

By the next week, the pastor and the mother reached a compromise, and the young girl was allowed to return to finish the school year, providing her mother stopped dancing -- at least until school let out.

In a story that continues to evolve, news broke from another source that by the end of May, the mother had reneged on her immorality clause and posed nude for Playboy.com.  Officials at the school have announced they will keep their side of the bargain and allow her daughter to finish the school year.
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REVEREND SWINDLE
(information contributed by Lois Gibson)

When Pentecostal minister Al Petty called, many people answered -- and sent tons of money!  According to a report by the Houston Chronicle (5/26/02), this musician, former instrument maker, and inventor from the Overton area had finally created a business that made him a millionaire ten times over, after a life of job hopping and an impoverished existence.

The money flow has since stopped, mostly due to the efforts of the FBI, and their charges that the minister was operating a "Ponzi" scheme out of his small trailer.  In that deceptive guise, he sold investments and phone services, promising his investors up to 1,300 percent returns on investments ranging from $1,300 to $50,000 in as little as three months -- figures that many of his conservative network contacts believed when he doctored up his sales pitches with Biblical references.

Now facing trial and jail, many of these supporters still believe the dream-seller -- perhaps in a last ditch effort to recover the thousands invested in his TeleCom2000 business.
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ANOINTED ABUSE
Child Abuse in the Church -- Part 1

The pastor of Greater Anointed Tabernacle Worship Center of Lithonia, Georgia, is going to need a miracle to get his feet "out of the miry clay."  According to several reports by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (5/15/02-5/22/02), the Reverend was in the middle of a child molestation case against him, which threatens to relocate him from the sanctuary of his church walls to walls of concrete and steel -- for up to 30 years.

This is the third such charge against the pastor.  The latest involves encounters with a 15 year old male from his congregation, a crime that netted him 25 counts.  Another charge several years ago -- from other youths in the church -- was dismissed after it was discovered the victims were 16 at the time, which is the age of consent in Georgia.  He faced similar charges in New York many years before.

Distraught at his arrest, it was reported that he attempted suicide unsuccessfully.
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TEACHER ARRESTED FOR LEWDNESS
Child Abuse in the Church -- Part 2

Another 15 year old -- this time in Gainesville, Florida -- learned more than geometry while attending The Rock church school, a ministry of a charismatic church of the same name.  His former Spanish teacher allegedly had sex with him numerous times, spawning a daughter for him in the process.  The Gainesville Sun reported that their encounters took place between January of 2000 and September 2001, and when the church school discovered it, they informed the parents and not law enforcement -- an omission which has caused much controversy.  The pastor now states many of the accusations against the church group are false.

When law enforcement discovered the crime, the teacher was arrested at her new job at Immokalee High School in Collier County, where she was undoubtedly responsible for teaching other teen-agers.
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