The Emerging Church and The One Project? is a series of PowerPoint presentations asking the question if there is in fact a connection between the two. The purpose of the presentations are not to lambast those who want to lift Jesus up, but rather to allow leaders of the One Project to tell us in their own words (and the words of those promoting the project) what their goals and aspirations really are, and how these goals have been enacted in their past experiences.
Presentation 1 of 10 is a summary of the Emerging Church as defined on Wikipedia. This is a summary of the 17 page article found there which is taken from many leading proponents of the Emerging Church here in America.
Presentations 2 through 4 deal with Leonard Sweet, a leader in the Emerging Church movement and a professor at George Fox University, and many of the nearly 50 books he has authored which express his various viewpoints.
Presentations 5 through 9 deal with the five main leaders of The One Project, four of which graduated with or started DMin degrees from George Fox University under the mentorship of Leonard Sweet. In each presentation an objective look is taken at material in print telling of each leaders work and ministry up to 2012. The question will naturally follow; is this the direction we should be leading our young people in the Adventist Church?
Presentation 10 deals with the One Project gathering in Seattle, February of 2012, looking at the claims of the Project “Jesus. All” and comparing this to what really took place at the gathering. Yes, there was some good points made, and we need to lift Jesus up, but…. We also take a look at a little of the evidence suggesting The One Project is a response to GYC.
For a fully interactive edition of all 10 presentations with video clips, contact: theemergingoneproject@gmail.com
3. “Their recorded discussion is titled The Tides of Change
and was packaged as part of an ongoing series called
„Choice Voices for Church Leadership.‟ … According to
information on the tape set, this presentation was
about ministry on the emerging „new frontier.‟”
“Challenging pastors to make changes in their ministry
to meet the emerging postmodern culture and the
changing times, Sweet and Rick Warren present
themselves not only as pastors but also as modern-day
change agents. In their conversation together, Sweet
enthusiastically remarked to Warren: „I think this is
part of this New Spirituality that we are seeing birthed
around us.‟”
3
4. “„New Spirituality‟ is the term that most New Age leaders
are now using instead of „New Age Spirituality.‟ …
Emerging church figures like Sweet, Brian McLaren, and
others are also employing the term „New Spirituality.‟ They
use it to describe the „new‟ Christianity they are practicing
as „New Christians‟ and „New Light leaders.‟”
“What has become clear over the last decade is that the
„New Spirituality‟–with its bottom line belief that God is „in‟
everything–is, in reality, the foundational New Age „hub‟ for
the coming New World Religion. This panentheistic New
Age/New Spirituality teaching that God is „in‟ everything
will be the „common ground‟ melting pot belief that the
coming New World Religion will ultimately rest upon.”
(Warren Smith Blog, http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=997
4
7. “This witty, yet substantive primer explores the
basic concepts and vernacular of postmodern
ministry. This „postmodern ministry-for-
dummies‟ will help „immigrants‟ learn to speak
PSL (postmodern as a second language), so
they can better live, minister, and make a
difference in the emerging postmodern
context.”
(http://www.christianbook.com/html/static/leonard_sweet.html)
7
8. “I cannot find a single redeeming feature to
this tragicomical book. The authors are earnest,
but they are completely clueless about the
philosophical concepts they are trying to
summarize and employ.” (By Timothy McGrew
"Philosopher" (Kalamazoo, MI)
(http://www.amazon.com/A-Is-Abductive-Leonard-Sweet/product-
reviews/0310243564/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneS
tar&showViewpoints=0)
8
10. “The gospel presents a life-changing NUTS wisdom
that conflicts with normal ways of making sense of the
world. There is the World According to Normal. There
is the World According to NUTS . . . where NUTS is an
acronym for Never Underestimate the Spirit. The
wisdom of Jesus is a NUTS wisdom. ---From the book
All people are different, but some are more different
than others. Christians are meant to be the most
different of all. Yet we often 'normalize' God. We judge
what is a successful Christian and a successful church
by the world according to Normal, not the world
according to NUTS, the wisdom of Jesus.”
(http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Drives-Crazy-Leonard-Sweet/dp/0310232244/
ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1347782062&sr=1-20)
10
11. “I think: This book is a complete waist [sic] of time and
money. The price of $.95 is a statement of it's value.
Every page is work to read and understand. The
content is all over the place like ADHD had a hand in
this. … If you are trying to understand more about
Christianity and our relationship with God - THIS IS
NOT THE PLACE TO FIND IT! We read this book as a
Sunday school project and chose to abandon it as a bad
idea. I don't normally go off on things like this. (Bad
ideas get thrown in the trash) But this is so extreme I
just had to.” (By E. McManus (Chattanooga, TN)
(http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Drives-Crazy-Leonard-Sweet/product-
reviews/0310232244/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=add
OneStar&showViewpoints=0)
11
13. “What should the church look like today? What should
be the focus of its message? How should I present that
message? We live in as pivotal and defining an age as
the Great Depression or the Sixties--a period whose
definition, say some cultural observers, includes a
waning of the church's influence. The result? A society
measurably less religious but decidedly more spiritual.
Less influenced by authority than by experience. More
attuned to images than to words. How does the church
adapt to such a culture? Or should it, in fact, eschew
adapting for maintaining a course it has followed these
last two millennia?”
(http://www.amazon.com/Church-Emerging-Culture-Five-
Perspectives/dp/0310254876/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=134803
2449&sr=1-1&keywords=the+church+in+emerging+culture)
13
14. “Brian McLaren … talks way too much. The man had
to put his two cents on everything, and recap everyone.
It didn't seem like a even handed presentation of 5
views with McLaren giving the last word in every
chapter.”
“Useful to see contrasts. Too much of McLaren. Would
like to seen more „orthodox‟ participants in line of
Horton. “
(http://www.amazon.com/The-Church-Emerging-Culture-Perspectives/product-
reviews/0310254876/ref=cm_cr_pr_hist_3?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addThreeStar&sho
wViewpoints=0)
14
17. “George Fox Journal: What is the emergent church?
Len Sweet: It probably would mean something
different to everyone you would ask, but from my
perspective, the „emergent church‟ is an ongoing
conversation about how new times call for new
churches, and that the mortar-happy church of the last
half of the 20th century is ill-poised to face the
promises and perils of the future. In fact, attempting to
define the „emergent church‟ betrays the essence of the
movement because the emergent consciousness
questions the notion that there is such a thing.
Rather, there are only individual emerging churches
that are missional in orientation that grow out of the
indigenous soils in which they are planted. In other
words, no two emerging churches are alike.”
17
18. “George Fox Journal: Are there some common
practices in emerging churches?
Len Sweet: Pews are now antiques. Since the focus of
emerging churches is on community, their worship
space is flexible. Some have tables and chairs. Others
have a more living room look and feel. But emerging
churches are proving to be very surprising. For
example, hymns are now back. And the church‟s
liturgy and Eucharist are being rediscovered in creative
and compelling ways. A lot of emerging churches are
very „smells and bells‟ in their worship. Whatever the
diversity of spiritual practices, the key words for
emerging churches are incarnational, missional, and
relational.”
(http://www.georgefox.edu/journalonline/fall05/emerging.html)
18
20. “You can learn to pay attention like never before,
to identify where God is already in business right
in your neighborhood. The doors are open and the
coffee is brewing. God is serving the refreshing
antidote to the unsatisfying, arms-length spiritual
life---and he won't even make you stand in line.
Let Leonard Sweet shows you how the passion
that Starbucks has for creating an irresistible
experience can connect you with God's stirring
introduction to the experience of faith.”
(http://www.christianbook.com/html/static/leonard_sweet.html)
20
21. “Most books have both good and bad points in
them. But every so often, I run across a book that
has practically no redeeming value. This was one
of those books. Bluntly, it was one of the worst
books I've read in a while. …
It is ridiculous and offensive (not to mention just
plain wrong) to imagine God saying, „Wow,
Starbucks has a great thing going there. Let's try
that.‟ (By the way, the Epilogue is entitled „Jehovah
Java.‟)” (By Nathan Markley (Lawrence, KS)
(http://www.amazon.com/The-Gospel-According-Starbucks-Passion/product-
reviews/1578566495/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&
showViewpoints=0)
21
23. “Should believers follow Christianity ... or
Christ? Should we point others to core values ...
or the cross? Charging that today‟s church has
mistakenly framed conversion as a change of
direction rather than a change in
connection, Sweet and Viola offer a corrective
„manifesto‟ featuring 10 crucial ways to restore
the supremacy of Jesus himself.”
(http://www.christianbook.com/jesus-manifesto-restoring-supremacy-
sovereignty-christ/leonard-sweet/9780849946011/pd/946011?product_
redirect=1&Ntt=946011&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP)
23
24. “The Christian church is falling apart and in
desperate need of a revival. According to Professor
Sweet and bestselling author Viola, what is lacking
is a groundbreaking revelation of Christ that
boggles the mind and enraptures the heart. …
[T]his insistent, impassioned essay condemns as
pharisaic those preachers who forgo a Christ-
centered theology in favor of a cute, singular
slogan or mission. The authors urge churches to
focus on the man who embodies the entire
religion.” cont.
24
25. “To do so, readers must learn the subtle distinction
between following Christ and realizing Christ
already lives within them. Some may find this
message controversial, even pantheistic. Yet the
biblical passages show the message is rooted in
Scripture. The authors provide a lot to digest, but
quotations from poets and philosophers break up
the text and help readers grasp abstract concepts.
Though most applicable to pastors and
seminarians, all Christian readers will discover a
new perspective and deeper purpose.”
(http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Manifesto-Restoring-Supremacy-
Sovereignty/dp/0849946018/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1347790411&sr=
8-1)
25
26. “In the incarnation, the beating heart of the universe became
a human heart.13 …
“„Breath on Me, Breath of God‟ is more than a metaphor and
a hymn. It‟s a testimony of the risen Christ who breathes in
you and me. Christ dwells in us. Why don‟t we also let Him
breathe through us by our lives as an offering to Him?
Singer/song-writer Maria McKee has a song called „Breathe‟
in which she does exactly that: she presents an offering of
herself to Christ:
I will let you breathe through me
I will let you be with me…
My heart beats your blood;
your breath fills my lungs. 15” (Jesus Manifesto, p. 64)
26
28. “BREATHE”
MARIA MCKEE
“BREATHE ON
ME, BREATH OF GOD”
“At first I was scared when I
opened up my head and the
motor that was running was
the mind of you, I was scared
when I looked at my
reflection and the shine I saw
were the eyes of you….
Whenever I'm alone and
you're lost out there I can feel
you breathe cause our lungs
we share, When I'm alone
anytime, anywhere, I can feel
your heart beat, 'cause our
blood we share.”
“Breathe on me, breath of God, Fill me
with life anew, That I may love what
Thou dost love, And do what Thou
wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God, Until my
heart is pure, Until with Thee I will one
will, to do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God, till I am
wholly Thine, Until this earthly part of
me glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God, so shall I
constant be, And live with Thee the
perfect life Of Thine eternity.”
28
29. “There are good reasons to be concerned about
contemporary Christianity. But must the answer always be „a
fresh alternative -- a third way‟ (pg. xiii)? In the case of Jesus
Manifesto, authors Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola construct
a „third way‟ that bears little resemblance to the „narrow
road‟ (Matt. 7:13-14) which Jesus Himself preached.”
“[T]he authors begin with a series of sweeping, but
predictable, generalizations about the grim state of affairs:
„The world likes Jesus; they just don't like the church. But
increasingly, the church likes the church, yet it doesn't like
Jesus‟ (pg. xvi), … This kind of „bash the church‟ rhetoric is
at the heart of the postmodern, post-evangelical
movement, and propels much of what Sweet and Viola
unpack. Apparently, for many "emergent"
Christians, problems with the church are a license to
reconfigure the gospel. And, ultimately, Jesus Manifesto
seems determined to do just that.”
29
30. “Along the way, the authors teeter between sublimity and
absurdity. On the one hand, Sweet and Viola do a terrific job
pulling everything back to Christ, showing how Scripture and
biblical history center around the Son of God and all our causes
and convictions should be subordinate to Him. Their language is
exultant, their praise effusive. But the closer we examine the
Christ they acclaim, the less He seems like the biblical one.”
“The „hard sayings‟ of Christ about hell, damnation, and judgment
are nowhere to be found in this book (unless intimated toward
religious elites). As such, the Jesus of Jesus Manifesto is the friend
of sinners NOT the „judge of the living and the dead‟ (Acts 10:42).
The Jesus of Jesus Manifesto comes to bring unity NOT „division‟
(Lk. 12:49-57). The Jesus of Jesus Manifesto carries an olive branch
NOT a „sword‟ (Matt. 10:34). The Jesus of Jesus Manifesto ushers
souls to heaven NOT „eternal punishment‟ (Matthew 25:32,46).”
30
31. “It is this ecumenical evasiveness that spoils Jesus Manifesto.
The Bible teaches that the Good Shepherd will one day
return with „the armies of heaven... to strike the nations‟
(Rev. 19: 11-16), that the cross of Christ „offends‟ people
(Gal. 5:11) and its message is „foolishness to those who are
perishing‟ (I Cor. 1:18). Sadly, it is this „offense‟ that Sweet
and Viola jettison in favor of uncritical inclusion.”
“One of the ways Jesus Manifesto attempts this is by
downplaying „doctrine.‟ The authors write, „The apostles'
message throughout Acts is not the plan of salvation. It's not
a theology or a set of doctrines either. It is a person – Christ‟
(pg. 12), and „According to Scripture, Jesus Christ (and not a
doctrine about Him) is the truth‟ (pg. 80).”
31
32. “Can theology get in the way of relationship with Christ?
Absolutely! Is Jesus more than a doctrinal system? Of course! But
the assumption that a doctrine or „theological system‟ ALWAYS
impedes a relationship with Christ is untenable. On the
contrary, good theology fires a right relationship with Jesus. In
fact, how does one even „grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ‟ (II Pet. 3:18) without embracing a
series of biblical prepositions about Him?”
“Scripture is filled with exhortations about believing correctly. In
fact, it was those same apostles (the ones who [supposedly] did
not preach „a theology or a set of doctrines‟) who cautioned
against „false Christ‟s (II Cor. 11:3,4; 13-15) and admonished about
a time when men „will not endure sound doctrine‟ (II Tim. 4:3).
The apostle Peter warned about „false teachers‟ who „secretly
introduce destructive heresies‟ (II Pet. 2:1).”
(http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Manifesto-Restoring-Supremacy-Sovereignty/
product-reviews/0849946018/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_two?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addTwo
Star&showViewpoints=0)
32
33. “Sweet‟s and Viola‟s manifesto starts with a purge. The
authors go right to the heart of the matter of the
supremacy of Jesus Christ by calling us to re-examine
what is meant by Acts 2:42′s mention of „the apostles‟
doctrine,‟ noting all the debris that modern churches
tend to teach has nothing to do with that
doctrine, which is Christ Himself. We get sidetracked
into eschatology, how to live by faith, spiritual
warfare, evangelism, holiness, Bible memorization, and
on and on. That list of diversions features a large
number of sacred cows the authors eventually gore and
then ask readers to purge. No Christian is left
unchallenged.”
(http://ceruleansanctum.com/2010/06/book-review-jesus-manifesto.html)
33
Editor's Notes
My study into the emerging church started when a pastor back East asked if I knew anything about “The One Project”. When I began to study into the history of the Project and those who started the movement, I was lead to enquire about the Emerging Church and its teachings and history. I found that it deals with much more than just “spiritual formation” and “centering prayer.”
Tape cassette series produced in 1995, four years after Quantum Spirituality, joining with Warren.In 2008, Sweet issued an explanation or response to all the criticism he had been getting about his theology and new age/Emerging Church connections. Sweet claimed he had no connection with New Age, and was apposed to the Emerging church ideas, but never refuted all the garbage he has put out from 1991 through 2008. See slides below.
Warren Smith, who has written much about the spiritualistic, New Age, emerging church errors that have been coming into the Evangelical world has this to say about Sweet’s doctrines:
Omega? Panentheism (from Greek πᾶν (pân) "all"; ἐν (en) "in"; and θεός (theós) "God"; "all-in-God") is a belief system which posits that the divine (be it a monotheisticGod, polytheisticgods, or an eternal cosmic animating force), interpenetrates every part of nature and timelessly extends beyond it. Panentheism differentiates itself from pantheism, which holds that the divine is synonymous with the universe.[1]In panentheism, the universe in the first formulation is practically the whole itself. In the second formulation, the universe and the divine are not ontologically equivalent. In panentheism, God is viewed as the eternal animating force behind the universe. Some versions suggest that the universe is nothing more than the manifest part of God. In some forms of panentheism, the cosmos exists within God, who in turn "pervades" or is "in" the cosmos. While pantheism asserts that 'All is God', panentheism goes further to claim that God is greater than the universe. In addition, some forms indicate that the universe is contained within God.[1] Much Hindu thought is highly characterized by panentheism and pantheism.
Current 2012 web-page at Christian Book Distributers list 14 books on Emerging Church and Leonard Sweet, and lists 68 items with a “Leonard Sweet” only search.
A is for Abduction, released Jan. 2003, Brian McLaren is a prominent Christian pastor, author, activist and speaker and leading figure in the emerging church movement. He has often been named one of the most influential Christian leaders in America and was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America in 2005. McLaren is on the international steering team and board of directors for Emergent Village.Jerry Haselmayer (B.A., University of Southern Indiana) is president and founder of Leadership Pathways, a consulting firm that partners with clients to deliver experiential learning, tailored personal coaching, and organizational change. An ordained minister, he lives in Cincinnati with his wife and three children. http://www.amazon.com/Jerry-Haselmayer/e/B003Y376Q6
Amazon.com Review of the book A is for Abduction. Of course you can find many good things said about the book by many supporters as well.
Jesus Drives Me Crazy!Released June 2003
The official book description on Amazon, most likely taken from the back cover or forward inside the book.
One of the book review on Amazon.com
The Church in Emerging Culture: Five Perspectives. Released Oct. 2003 Leonard Sweet is general editor who holds a “conversation” with five other church leaders. Thus he can direct the emphasis of the book! * Andy Crouch is young writer and editor* Michael S. Horton is a reformed theologian* Frederica Mathewes-Green is an Orthodox Christian and commentator* Brian McLaren is a pastor and senior fellow of Emergent Village.* Erwin Raphael McManus is a cultural revolutionary and pastor of the innovative and interethnic L.A. based community Mosaic.The idea of the book is have a “conversation” with several people who have different views of Emerging culture and what the churches response should be. It seems clear from many of the reviews that the liberal, progressive thoughts are held up prominently as the correct answer.
Official book description from Amazon.com, taken from the back cover. Asked what seems to be a rhetorical questions in their estimation. The Emerging Church is pitted against Reformed, Orthodox ideas in “conversation,” with the editor of course supporting the Emerging church ideas.
Some obviously saw that McLaren was given the last word by the editor Sweet who is more sympathetic to his views than any of the other authors.
Summoned to Lead. Released 2004, one of his earlier books on leadership. We will return to the issue of Leadership a little later with the book I Am a Follower in Presentation 4.
Fall of 2005, George Fox University published an interview with Leonard Sweet on the Emerging Church.
Notice the drawing away from any form of organization and leadership.
Remember the idea of tables and chairs, we will see this again. “Key words for emerging churches are incarnational, missional, and relational.” These are all terms being used in the SDA church by those pushing this movement.
The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion, Jan. 2007Alex Bryan quotes several times from this book in his doctoral thesis which was under the mentorship of Leonard Sweet at George Fox University.
The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion, Jan. 2007Alex Bryan quotes several times from this book in his doctoral thesis which was under the mentorship of Leonard Sweet at George Fox University.
The Gospel According to Starbucks: Living with a Grande Passion, Jan. 2007Alex Bryan quotes several times from this book in his doctoral thesis which was under the mentorship of Leonard Sweet at George Fox University.
Jesus Manifesto, June 2010. “Frank Viola has been pioneering in organic missional church life since 1988. He brings over 20 years of experience to the table in what is now a growing phenomenon. Beyond planting organic missional churches, he is a bestselling author and sought-after conference speaker. Frank's public speaking covers a wide range of topics including the centrality, supremacy, and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ, the deepening of the spiritual life, Christian community, church planting, God's eternal purpose, mission, and church renewal. He has written numerous books on the deeper Christian life and radical church reform, including the bestsellers From Eternity to Here, Jesus Manifesto (coauthored with Leonard Sweet),and Pagan Christianity? (co-authored with George Barna). …” (from his own website: http://frankviola.org/biography/) He has written several books: Reimagining Church: Pursuing the Dream of Organic Christianity; Finding Organic Church : A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities; Beyond Evangelism; Epic Jesus: The Christ you Never Knew. Book sets sold under caption: “Its Time to ReChurch.” see also: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_church)This book uses language that we will find in the One Project. This book is being promoted by Alex Bryan and The One Project.
Verbatim quote from CBD Christian Book Distributors web site.
Official Book Review Book seller posts on Amazon.com. Sounds good at first glance.
Continuing Amazon official Review. Openly states that some find it to teach pantheistic ideas. Many of the other unsolicited reviews had similar things to say about the book.
This is a couple ofstatements taken from one page of Sweet’s book. Concepts here are pantheistic in nature, and a view which Sweet has clearly expressed in other books before this. “[footnote 13] For another way of putting it, ‘the beating heart of the universe now beneath a human heart,’ see English literary critic Muriel C. Bradbrook as quoted by Michael Mayne in, “The Enduring Melody” (2006), p. 179.” “Muriel Clara Bradbrook (1909 – 11 June 1993) was a British literary scholar and authority on Shakespeare. She was Professor of English at the University of Cambridge, and Mistress[1] of Girton College, Cambridge.” “Michael Clement Otway Mayne KCVO (10 September 1929 – 22 October 2006) was an English priest of the Church of England who served as the Dean of Westminster.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mayne)Martin Buber (1878-1965) however, is the person who coined the statement “The beating heart of the universe is holy joy.” Martin Buber was an Austrian-born Israeli philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a form of existentialism centered on the distinction between the I-Thou relationship and the I-It relationship.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Buber) This statement of his is quoted on numerous web sites with other pantheistic/New Age sentiments. Sweet’s “Christ dwells in us” is stated as a fact for all men. This is a Hindu idea and at the heart of pantheism, but only true of the Christian and not in a metaphysical way. “[footnote 15] Maria Mckee on Nightmusic ‘Breathe,’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v+RvRxYty2ie0.” Sweet’s reference is taken from a YouTube video of a night club setting where McKee sings this song. There is not the slightest intimation that this is Christian song being song to Christ. For more on McKee see next slides.
Sweet suggests that “Breathe on me Breath of God” and “Breathe” by Maria McKee are one and the same?Maria McKeewas a founding member of the cowpunk/country rockband, Lone Justice, in 1982, with whom she released two albums. Some claim she had a “conversion” experience before making her 1989 album “Maria McKee”. The whole album and song “Breathe” for all practical purposes are secular songs having nothing to do with God or Christianity, (despite some claims from the CCM world), but has new age/mystical sounding lyrics about drinking, prostitution, bar hopping, love affairs, and even suicide. Breath lyrics: “At first I was scared when I opened up my head and the motor that was running was the mind of you, I was scared when I looked at my reflection and the shine I saw were the eyes of you…. Whenever I'm alone and you're lost out there I can feel you breathe cause our lungs we share, When I'm alone anytime, anywhere, I can feel your heart beat, 'cause our blood we share. I was scared when you came into my room, The walls became the sea, your voice was the moon Oh, when you rocked me in your arms, Like a song, a wave on the tide of you.” The music video gives not the slightest hint that this is a religious song or speaking of Christ or Christianity. “‘Show me Heaven’is another song recorded by McKee for the soundtrack to the movie ‘Days of Thunder’ (which was released in June 1990). McKee's recording was a massive hit in the United Kingdom, spending four weeks at number-one in September 1990, and became by far her highest-charting single ever.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Me_Heaven) “She refused to perform this song in public up until recently, when she sang it for the first time in eighteen years, at Dublin Gay Pride.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_McKee)This song has nothing to do with Christianity. It is an erotic, sensual song, mixing metaphorical language to describe a sexual encounter. The Music Video is from a bedroom scene. “Hey babe I need your hand to steady me.” Really?Is she talking about Christ?1993 Album, “You gotta sin to get saved,” has a very similar theme. (EGW) “Pantheistic theories are not sustained by the Word of God. The light of His truth shows that these theories are soul-destroying agencies. Darkness is their element, sensuality their sphere. They gratify the natural heart, and give license to inclination. …The sophistries regarding God and nature that are flooding the world with skepticism are the inspiration of the fallen foe, who is himself a Bible student, who knows the truth that it is essential for the people to receive, and whose study it is to divert minds from the great truths given to prepare them for what is coming upon the world. I have seen the results of these fanciful views of God, in apostasy, spiritualism, and free-lovism. The free-love tendency of these teachings was so concealed that at first it was difficult to make plain its real character. Until the Lord presented it to me, I knew not what to call it, but I was instructed to call it unholy spiritual love.”--Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 291, 292. (1904)
Leonard Sweet seeks to give the Hymn “Breathe on me….” a mystical new age meaning, and puts it in the same category as the secular mystical song “Breathe”. But this is ridiculous based on the facts. A simple comparison will bring this out. “… the mind of you” and “the eyes of you” phrases are pantheistic and New Age in nature, and have nothing to do with giving ones self to Christ as Leonard Sweet claims. Yet this book is being promoted, as we will see, by The One Project.“Breath on me Breath of God,” was written by Edwin Hatch in 1878 and is taken from the thoughts in John 20:22—“He breathed [1720 Strong’s] on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” [Strong’s 1720: “From G1722 and φυσάω phusaō (to puff; compare G5453); to blowat or on: - breathe on. This Greek word is used in Jn 20:22 and is the only place used in NT.] Joh 20:22He breathed on them (enephusēsen). First aorist active indicative of emphusaō, late verb, here only in N.T. though eleven times in the lxx and in the papyri. It was a symbolic act with the same word used in the lxx when God breathed the breath of life upon Adam (Gen 2:7). It occurs also in Ezek 37:9. See Christ’s promise in Joh_16:23. Jesus gives the disciples a foretaste of the great pentecost. (Clarks Commentary?)Joh 20:22He breathed on them - It was customary for the prophets to use some significant act to represent the nature of their message. See Jer. 13; Jer. 18, etc. In this case the act of breathing was used to represent the nature of the influence that would come upon them, and the source of that influence. When man was created, God breathed into him the breath of life, Gen_2:7. The word rendered “spirit” in the Scriptures denotes wind, air, breath, as well as Spirit. Hence, the operations of the Holy Spirit are compared to the wind, Joh_3:8; Act_2:2.Receive ye the Holy Ghost - His breathing on them was a certain sign or pledge that they would be endowed with the influences of the Holy Spirit. Compare Act_1:4; John 2. (Barnes Commentary)Joh 20:22he breathed on them — a symbolical conveyance to them of the Spirit. (JFB Commentary)
Unsolicited review on Amazon.com by Michael Duran, which summarizes what many others have also said about the book.
Cont. Unsolicited review on Amazon.com by Michael Duran, which summarizes what many others have also said about the book. Often it is not what a person says that is so wrong as what a person fails to say or include when describing the plan of salvation. Half the story or half truth is worse than blatant error because it is more subtle.
Cont. Unsolicited review on Amazon.com by Michael Duran, which summarizes what many others have also said about the book.
Cont. Unsolicited review on Amazon.com by Michael Duran, which summarizes what many others have also said about the book.
This taken from an overall positive review. We will continue with Leonard Sweet in the next presentation. We will continue to look at Leonard Sweet’s work in our next presentation.