This headline just made my morning! From Lighthouse Trails Research: “Church Heading Toward Contemplative Turns Around After Seeing the Evidence.”

Someone from Texas wrote in to LHT to encourage them with the news of how their materials were able to prevent a church from going down the path into contemplative prayer (also known as the silence) and other mystical practices:

Dear LTRP: 

Thank you so much for the information that you have been providing my husband and I for the past several years. It is thanks to Lighthouse Trails that we were able to warn members of our church leadership about contemplative spirituality which was making its way into our church.

Several months back, an associate pastor gave a message on “having closeness with God” which was fine, but then at the end of his message, he said something about “the silence,” requesting from the pulpit that the “lights be dimmed,” and then had the entire congregation practice a moment of slowed breathing, “focusing” and “contemplation” . . .  Needless to say, in spite of wanting to bolt for the doors, my husband and I sat there praying aloud (!) for God’s protection over our congregation.

You can read the entire letter and the “happy ending” at Lighthouse Trails. Hat tip to Stand Up for the Truth for sharing this on Facebook.

This letter is so encouraging to me. I’ve personally had to leave a church over this kind of mysticism (as well as other false teaching) and have avoided other churches entirely because of it. Praise the Lord that this couple was willing to confront their church leaders, pray for and share information about mysticism with them. I am so thankful that the leaders were persuaded.

I have read a number of books from Lighthouse Trails and can recommend several on this subject in particular: A Time of Departing, Faith Undone and Out of India.

Related articles

• Is Moody Radio going contemplative? (standupforthetruth.com)
• “Practicing the Presence of God” a growing contemplative trend (standupforthetruth.com)