So says their Facebook page.
The church leaders announced their intentions last week, but now they have a name.
On the other hand, Mars Hill Huntington Beach announced that they would be closing in December. This was expected since Mars Hill had told the church they had to pick up giving to survive. Giving had not quite kept up with projections.
Month: November 2014
Robert Morris at Gateway Church: I Know How to Build a Healthy Church
Since Robert Morris snubbed his nose at the elders of Mars Hill Church, I have been curious about the third largest church in the nation. As noted earlier today, sources within Gateway and Mars Hill have indicated that Driscoll may be on the way back. If he does make a come back, Driscoll might credit Morris. Morris told his pastors’ conference that he has been advising Driscoll and he has an obvious track record. In fact, Morris boasted about this ability last night to his church. Watch:
[youtube]http://youtu.be/nTf17lw7_8o[/youtube]
Morris claims divine revelation to make a point that the Bible already makes. Why should we believe him? Not because of the teaching of the faith but because he has built a big church. I suspect former Mars Hill folks will hear something familiar in this. The leaders hear from God and the proof is in the success of the church.
Sources: Mark Driscoll Considering a Return to Ministry
According to reliable sources within Gateway Church and Mars Hill Church, Mark Driscoll is exploring a return to ministry in either Texas or California. I have been hearing this since Driscoll appeared on stage during the Gateway pastor’s conference in October, but only recently have sources within both Gateway and Mars Hill confirmed it.
According to sources who want to remain unnamed due to fears of retaliation, Driscoll has been offered assistance from Robert Morris to help set up a church plant in Southern California. Somewhere in Texas could be targeted if Southern CA does not work out.
Driscoll has long wanted to be in Southern California.
Richard Cohen, Founder of International Healing Foundation, to Conduct Meeting for Unification Church
Richard Cohen, founding guru of the International Healing Foundation, just can’t quit the Unification Church.
Despite saying a bunch of times that he left the church, he and his staff just keep showing up on their agenda. Now he is doing one of his healing ex-gay workshops for Unificationists with Phillip Schanker, one of the chief Unificationists in the U.S., as host. Although not sponsored by the Family Federation, the workshop is hosted by Schanker and is being marketed to disciples of the late Sun Myung Moon.
This program is sponsored and hosted by Phillip Schanker, former director of the family department of the Unification Community in the USA. Our special guest facilitator is Richard Cohen, M.A., psychotherapist, author, and founder of the International Healing Foundation (IHF), who has helped thousands experience radical healing and freedom over the past 27 years. To learn more about IHF and Richard’s personal journey from homosexual to heterosexual, visit www.comingoutloved.com.
NOTE: This private retreat is intended for current or former Unificationists and their loved ones, but it is not sponsored by or affiliated with the FFWPU. To respect those who would prefer that your participation be confidential, your registration information will be known only to Phillip Schanker, and only registered participants will receive details about the location of the program.
This makes sense as Moon’s son endorses Cohen as the foremost expert in the church.
Despite claims that she left the church, IHF staffer Hilde Wiemann conducted workshops for the Unification Church in 2013.
In my opinion, the IHF bottom line is money. The source of it doesn’t much matter.
Richard Cohen in action. Wonder if there will be a special price on tennis racquets at the conference?
[youtube]http://youtu.be/VtGouVqsmsg[/youtube]
H/t: HWDYKYM
Ugandan Parliament Drafts New Anti-Gay Bill
After the five year ordeal that was the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009, a Ugandan court struck down the measure leaving proponents of the bill plotting their next move. That next move is here. BuzzFeed’s Lester Feder (who has stepped up to report frequently on Ugandan events) provides us with a look at the new Prohibition of the Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill of 2014. We are going to need a shorter handle for that bill; I think I’ll call it AHB 2.o.
I disagree with BuzzFeed that the bill is more draconian that AHB 1.0. A quick read finds no death penalty or life in prison. I can’t find a reference to private conduct. The bill aims at promotion of homosexuality. The problem is that promotion is defined at all, but beyond that, it is defined so broadly that this blog post would probably violate it. The makers of this bill apparently think they can keep people from being gay by not talking about it.
I can’t promise to keep up with the daily ins and outs, but I will attempt to keep us up on the big picture.