In 2004, I wrote Danny Lehmann a letter because he mentioned
this on one of his programs:
“We also looked
yesterday at the amount of Christians, this is an encouraging trend that are involved
in some type of renewal movement, whether it be the classic Pentecostal
movement, the modern Pentecostal movement, what’s left over from the
Charismatic renewal of the ‘60’s, and the Jesus movement, or what some people
have called the Third Wave of neocharismatics which would fit groups like
Calvary Chapel, and the Vineyards, and Hope Chapels, and New Hope Christian
Fellowship; some of the more modern churches that have vestiges of
Pentecostalism but for the most part are doing their best to present the Word
of God in a culturally relevant way.” (Word to the World program, KLHT 1040 AM,
Sept. 29, 2004).
When I first heard these words I was rather concerned and definitely troubled. This statement was unsettling to me because I do not consider Calvary Chapels a Third Wave church! So I wrote Lehmann a letter and in his response he claimed to be using “wave” as a surfing term and then, by the end of his comment, he claimed to be using “third wave” as descriptive of the type of churches in a new “wave” of a missionary movement. Well, which was it?
Was this really the case? Contradictions seem to abound when trying to get answers. One thing is certain: Mr. Lehmann most certainly was not referring to surfing in his broadcast. He used the term “third wave of neocharismatics” and made no mention of any “third wave of missionary church movement” In his broadcast either. Thus this response must be labeled rather disingenuous.
I was finally told by his Pastor, Bill Stonebraker, and then Lehmann himself that he was quoting a man named Elmer Towns and that he had no connection to Wagner’s concepts of the “Third Wave”. Note here that he gives then a third option as to the origin of this quote, which when used in such close proximity with “postdenominationalism” and “neocharismatics” definitely sounds like NAR terms to me. If Lehmann was actually quoting Elmer Towns, then we have enlarged this matter because Towns was actually a contributor with C. Peter Wagner in a book dealing with the Third Wave movement.
“As an
evangelical Congregationalist in a way similar to Pentecostals and
charismatics, but also somewhat differently. I call it the "third
wave," and I write a monthly column under that title in Christian Life
magazine” (p.37 CHURCH GROWTH: The State of the Art by Peter Wagner with
Win Arn and Elmer Towns published in 1986)
As we enter 2006,
Lehmann has hosted a series of radio spots on his Word to the World programs
(actually a rebroadcast of a 2004 series) with Daniel Kikawa, a member of Aloha
Ke Akua Ministries in Hawaii. YWAM was actually a key sponsor of a dangerous
conference in May 2005 called A Call to the Nations
(http://op.50megs.com/ditc/acalltothenations.html ) in which Lehmann was involved and actually recommended people to attend to hear Ralph Winter at Red Hill First Assembly of God, a Word-Faith church. He also interviewed a Dr. Hoeffer from that conference and promoted a very dubious concept called “churchless Christianity”. YWAM’s president John Dawson spoke on accepting the apostles and prophets in ministry here in the islands. All of this was in accord with Transformation Hawaii and served to advance the cause laid out in Perpetuated in Righteousness, a book written by Kikawa which Lehmann calls “excellent”. Contained in it is teachings about the gospel in the stars, the Hawaiians could be Jews, it implies they had true worship of God, who is called IO long before the missionaries came.
Lehmann hosted several First Nations leaders on his radio program in 2004. Go here for quotes of that series:
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/lehmann2.html
Although confronted
about this, Lehmann still endorses these groups and their false teachings:
“God can
sometimes use what we have used in the past and to use it for His glory. I was
recently with a couple of native American friends of mine and they were telling
me about how they’ve just begun to get set free into their own indigenous
worship, because western missionaries, and we did it a little bit here in
Hawaii and we’ve done it in many other parts of the world. We have a tendency
not to only take the gospel to the mission field but we have a tendency to take
our culture to the mission field as well. So when we take our culture we say
our western or American culture is the best , which means your culture is not
the best therefore we replace your cultural forms with our cultural forms. But there
are things that God can use from our old life, He can use for His glory.” (Danny Lehmann 11/05/05 MARS HILL).
Lehmann has
featured First nations leaders Terry Leblanc and Richard Twiss on his past
shows as well as Leon Siu of Aloha Ke Akua:
“By the way I
want to apologize I had put on the radio that Leon Siu was going to be with us
tonight, and then I had a miscommunication so he’s going to be here in a few
weeks, but we still will talk about the Hawaii revival, but Leon is great
because I was going to interview him as well as have him sing for us because he
can give us a lot of historical background about the whole Hawaiian deal back
then that I don’t know as much as he does about. ” (Danny
Lehmann MARS HILL Sat. PM Oct. 21, 2005).
For those of you
unfamiliar with Siu, he first appeared with Danny in his earlier Word to the
World programs and had in the past received an award from false messiah Sun
Young Moon of the Unification Church cult:
http://www.powertostand.org/call%20nations.doc.
Leon Siu also
teaches along with Kikawa that God’s name is actually I’o and was worshipped as
such by ancient Hawaiians. Not only can this not be proven but I’o was a bird
god, a false god of the ancients and in no way comparable to Yahweh the true
God of the Bible. To assert His name to glory is blasphemy and heresy. Yet this
teaching was featured on Lehmann’s latest broadcasts of Word to the World. This
article is a must-read to familiarize yourself with the alarming set of
doctrines that Lehmann is introducing to the church:
http://op.50megs.com/ditc/reasonstoreject.html
What’s going on
here? Is this any semblance of what we would consider biblically correct? I for
one am astounded that Lehmann can endorse and promote such teachings as these
and not be confronted by anyone… Oh wait! He has, but refuses to deal with
these things and it is obvious he believes them. This should concern any
shepherd in today’s church or any churchgoer who places true emphasis on truth
and accuracy of scripture. These men should have no place in teaching or
preaching ministry.
On his Word to the world program Lehmann called the Purpose Driven Life “an excellent book” (Aug.31, 2004).
Danny Lehmann had personally accused me and others of holding conspiracy theories because we are concerned about his favorable mention of Rick Warren, Erwin McManus and others. After this accusation I wrote him a response challenging him to name any conspiratorial remarks I’ve made or any shady notion I held on the Church Growth Movement. Here’s an excerpt of my response:
“You accused me of holding “VARIOUS conspiracy theories” concerning Rick Warren and Bill Hybels and others. I can assure you I don’t have any conspiracy theories. Can you cite any? Anything I said concerning these men that was conspiratorial? I have founded, documented, extreme concerns and misgivings about the philosophy of ministry expounded by these men (when Robert Schuller is cited as a mentor, then any Christian that upholds the Bibles teaching should be alarmed). We should be careful in accepting teachings without knowing the source of their teachings. I can document outright erroneous doctrines in Warren’s writings but in light of this serious accusation you need to present evidence to me that I indeed hold ANY conspiracy theory. This is very important to me.”(Steve Mitchell in a letter to Danny Lehmann, 2005).
No answer as of May
2006.
It’s not a far
stretch of the imagination to see that anyone with the discernment level to
promote the abovementioned things will also get behind something like the Alpha
courses and Lehmann did endorse them in an article of YWAM’s magazine:( Passion
for Evangelism...do you still have it? Date: 10/1/2004 Issue: I Oct 04).
What concerns us
about the Alpha Course? Read here:
http://www.pfo.org/alpha-cr.htm
http://www.intotruth.org/misc/alpha.html
YWAM’s involvement with the New Apostolic Reformation has
been documented in other articles:
http://www.powertostand.org/Be%20Wary%20of%20YWAM%20sendready.htm
Ywam.org recently had Word/Faith teacher David Yongii Cho
endorsement on the front page and Lehmann has spoken favorably of
multiplicative church growth in Cho’s church. He has remained silent on the
collaboration with high-level leaders in YWAM with false prophet Benny Hinn as
well:
Lehmann speaking of the tremendous growth in Asia and Korea
“Of course you have the famous church under pastor Cho” (Word to the World,
Oct 20, 2004).
So what’s the deal?
Why is he allowed to continue promoting and endorsing these guys and why is he
not taking stands to rectify these winds of doctrine running rampantly through
YWAM?
In March 2005,
Lehmann assured me he will never leave YWAM and was stoked about where it was
headed. After all, this is a “new apostolic season” and John Dawson is
reconciling stuff all over the place. There’s no outcry or distancing from the
increasing bad doctrines being promoted in YWAM, the connections between the
Third Wave, New Apostolic, mystical, and Indigenous peoples Movements are
multiplying. Watch Fusion Ministries as the training force to YWAM
leaders. They are fully new apostolic
and we haven’t heard anything from Lehmann about this even though he was asked
specifically.
In Oct. 2005, Lehmann said these words:
“So signs and
wonders, supernatural attestations to the miracle-working power of God were all
through out the Book of Acts. And of course the question always comes up well
why don’t we see more of this in our present day and I wish I had a better
answer than the one I'm gonna give you, but it just seems like when you go into
the third world where it seems like the people are that much more open to the
supernatural. They’re much more trusting and believing that there’s a God of
miracles . They have a little bit less of an academic cerebral kind of
Christianity that we tend to embrace here in the west. There’s a lot of history
that goes into this but I believe were
kind of a victim of the enlightenment and the Renaissance and that even the
Protestant Reformation was largely a scholastic movement, focusing in on right
doctrine which it sure should and to reform our doctrine is very important, but
we cannot stop there.”
(Danny Lehmann “Word to the World” Broadcast KLHT 1040 AM Oct. 2005).
One of the central
focuses of the Third Wave and NAR movements is a resurgence of signs and
wonders that many believe are required for the great harvest at the end of the
age. In fact, the notion that people just won’t believe without them is alleged
by missiologists and Third Wave leaders.
Danny Lehmann seems
dangerously close to asserting this very same notion. In typical fashion he
goes on to say:
“And who am I to
criticize and I'm criticizing myself and some of my friends on the mission
field but I just simply think that we need signs and wonders and
miracles…Words, even if they are God's words are NOT enough to turn blinded
minds and hardened hearts to Jesus Christ. And I wanna encourage you to
pray for your missionaries on the field that signs and wonders would follow the
preaching of the gospel. It was certainly true of the book of Acts may it be
true in our time as well” (Danny Lehmann
“Word to the World” Broadcast KLHT 1040 AM Oct. 2005).
“God’s words” are not sufficient to bring
someone to salvation? Well Rom. 10, the entire chapter, refutes this position.
2 Tim. 3:15 says: “and that from childhood you have known the Holy
scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which
is in Jesus Christ.”
These are reckless
statements that reveal an adherence to some of the errors found with Third Wave
leaders like Wimber and Wagner. Wimber called this power evangelism.
Jesus himself said about those who did not listen to his words and asked
for signs “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign…” (Matt. 16:4a).Jesus clearly denounced the
demands of those hungry for miracles or anyone who would insinuate that they
are essential for people to be saved. Consider this passage:
“Woe to
you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in
you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented a great while
ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and
Sidon at the judgment than for you.” (Luke 10:13-14).
Here is a
clear example of sinful people who, despite seeing great miracles from the
Messiah refused to believe and put their trust in Him. Miracles are no
prerequisite for belief. Christ said it best to Thomas: “blessed are those
that have not seen and yet believe.” (John 20:29b).
Did not Paul tell
Timothy to preach the word for evangelism, nowhere did he tell them to do
signs.
Jesus had words of
condemnation for those who would come to Him for miracles or who would seek
after signs. It is not in the Lord’s interest to appeal to man’s hunger for
experience and any kind of routine display of miraculous attestations.
How do the lost
believe? God moves their hearts to receive the preached word and that is the
resultant belief that is required for salvation, not any kind of trust or
leaning on miracles or signs and wonders.
It needs be noted that YWAM is claiming all manner of miracles among its
ranks and some are not only doubtful but just weird.
Can God do
miraculous acts today? Of course He can but those aren’t what we are to seek
after and Heb. 13:8 is a statement about His nature. He will always be
faithful, true, Love incarnate, all powerful, etc. It says nothing of any kind
that suggests the word is not sufficient and He always has to do miraculous
things in our midst and that so the lost could believe. Yet many use this verse
to typecast our God into having to intervene among us in the exact same ways
that we read throughout the long history span in the Bible. In fact when one
reads the Scriptures he can discern that God has changed His manner of dealings
among us in varied ways during diverse times. He need not be put into the
“signs and wonders” box and looked upon to prove Himself or His power in the
earth by signs and wonders.
John Wimber taught
that signs and wonders are essential for effective mission work. Is this true?
Apparently not because many people were saved from believing Gods Word without
the presence of a sign or wonder. C. Peter Wagner expresses a similar
sentiment:
"Christianity began with 120 in the Upper Room, within three centuries it had become the predominant religion of the Roman Empire. What brought this about? The answer is deceptively simple, while Christianity was being presented to unbelievers in both Word and deed, it was the deed that far exceeded the Word in evangelistic effectiveness." (C. Peter Wagner, as cited in Charismatic Chaos - Part 5, “Does God do Miracles Today?”, Copyright 1991, by John F. Macarthur, Jr., http://www.biblebb.com/files/MAC/CHAOS6.HTM )
Reading YWAM’s literature and their books
like Taking Our Cities for God, Is That Really You, God? and Forever
Ruined for the Ordinary show a penchant of sign and wonder type experiences
and “fresh words” from God that, in many places go above and beyond God’s
Word-the Bible. A hunger “to see the stuff” is apparent as John Wimber once
said. I have seen this burning desire
in YWAMers everywhere but often not in accordance with truth and true biblical
faith that relies on God without needing to see Him “break through” or “answer
by fire”. Indeed there are some manifestations reported throughout corners of
YWAM but many occur in the presence of unbiblical teaching and activity and
need to be soundly tested in light of the Bible. Suffice it to say, signs and
wonders need to be kept in real perspective and any who are primed to seek
those things are in danger of being wicked and adulterous if not submitted to a
biblical understanding of these things.
The above quote is also laden with
implications that the Word is not sufficient to lead someone to Christ and
that’s patently untrue. Having said this cautionary word I do affirm that God’s
power at work in the human heart is an essential component to seeing a lost
soul saved but that always works in accordance with His Word. Biblically a sign
and wonder is an attesting miracle to the preached message and this may or may
not happen apart from the miraculous workings of the Holy Spirit.
If any of you are
unfamiliar with some of the key players and basic tenets of this new and
removed group of postmodern wanderers, take a look at the articles featured in
this section of Sandy Simpson’s site. Just a cursory look at these startling
articles will affirm the upwelling of alarm and concern that any biblical
Christian should experience when faced with doctrines like this:
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/emergingchurch.html
Many of these writers are leading sheep astray into utter apostasy and wickedness and Danny Lehmann should be ashamed for telling people to read these postmodern authors or teaching the concepts found in their writings.
In addition to the
First Nations doctrines and the reintroduction to the church of Kikawa and
those false teachings, Lehmann started out 2006 by talking about the new
emerging church concept of orality. His mention of the Bible as “story” and
“meta-narratives” indicates Lehmann is reading the works of these men. This new
practice called orality is being taught at YWAM’s University of the Nations in
Kona, Hawaii:
http://www.uofnkona.edu/seminars/storytelling.html
Go here for an excellent article on the components of orality:
http://herescope.blogspot.com/2006/03/newest-heresy-of-nar-orality.html
Interesting to note that Lehmann has mentioned by name Erwin McManus who is a leader in this movement and other YWAMers have been quoting Leonard Sweet and Brian McClaren who are two of the most dangerous postmodern seekers out there. YWAM.org’s World bookstore page offers a book entitled A is for Abduction which is a guide to emergent terminology written by McClaren and Sweet! Is YWAM going “emergent”? Most definitely and Lehmann is one recruiter who seems to be on this same trail.
Listening to a lot of Lehmann’s sermons, one gets the distinctive feeling that much of what he says may be borrowed from other sources. To be sure, the teaching of the two trees covered in an earlier article didn’t come from him wholly and there are several other phrases and teachings that seem to have made their way from Brian McClaren’s works to Lehmann’s sermons and subsequently to Calvary Chapel folks and radio listeners to his programs. What follows is merely some possible instances that would indicate a link between Mclaren’s problematic books influence on Lehmann’s teachings:
Danny Lehmann taught a series on having a critical spirit entitled “Adventures in Missing the Point”. I thought that was rather catchy and then I found out that Brian Mclaren and false teacher Tony Campolo authored a book together with that title.
Coincidence? Maybe.
Danny Lehmann shared an illustration of a critical Pharisaic person being like a black and white striped shirt referee in the game. Brian Mclaren also shared a similar illustration (Generous Orthodoxy, p.35 ).
Coincidence? Perhaps.
Danny Lehmann shared an illustration about the “dance of the trinity” which was a quote from some famous preacher. Brain Mclaren also shared that analogy in his bestseller.(Generous Orthodoxy, p. 62 )
Coincidence?
Danny Lehmann wrote:
“There is orthodoxy which means
"straight thinking" but there is also orthopraxy which means
"straight practice." Unfortunately in some Christian circles you can
get an "A" in orthodoxy and and "F" in orthopraxy and still
be considered orthodox.”(From
the Calvary Chapel Komo Mai website: Shepherd to Sheep by Danny
Lehmann).
Brian Mclaren used
the phrase “an “A” in orthodoxy and a “D” in orthopraxy” (p. 35) when
speaking on a different subject but the point here is that Danny is reading
these books and borrowing certain phraseology and concepts from their pages.
My point is not to
contend that Lehmann believes all these men believe but that he is definitely
reading their materials and that emerging references have found their way in
Lehmann’s teachings. “Lately I
have immersed myself in books by some of the more postmodern Christian authors,
including: The Emerging Church (by my friend Dan Kimble), Brian McLaren’s
titles (A New Kind of Christian, The Story We Find Ourselves In, The last Word
and the Word After That, A Generous Orthodoxy
, Adventures in
Missing the Point [see more on these four previous titles below]), and titles
by Leonard Sweet…. (YWAM website)
Other parallels
exist in the writings of the emergents and some of Danny Lehmann’s lines of
thought and teachings and this should be noted as what it is: dangerous for
consumption. I am concerned personally for Danny’s susceptibility to teachings
like these and others he passes them onto over the last few years. The emerging
church stream is dangerous and we ought to be standing against some of the
ecumenical, interfaith, and downright unbiblical teachings of these new writers
who seem less sure of the nature of truth and the inerrancy of God’s Word and
want to introduce new doctrines and practices.
To Mr. Lehmann and
all who would hurtle down this path I say with heartfelt concern and love in my
heart TURN BACK!!! Much of the emergent philosophies are “destructive
heresies” (2 Peter 2:1) disguised
innovations, that should not need have a platform in today’s church.
I’ll not belabor
what has been clear from earlier parts of this article: Danny Lehmann can be
quite daunting to dialogue with provided one can actually get to that stage. We
have seen personally that he has a penchant for calling names, mocking, and
sarcastic insinuation when discussion these serious issues are presented. I
have found him quite judgmental, critical, and snide. This is merely an
assessment of mannerisms not judgment of motives or heart intents. Its just
factual that all of us at times display these things especially when we are
upset, but its just a bit sad that someone of his standing in ministry and
prominence in the public refuses to engage in cordial dialogue without being
personally offended or put off in the face of disagreement from a brother in
the Body of Christ. Even worse is the present evasiveness and unwillingness to
meet and dialog on these very recent issues.
Just to drive home one last aspect of this area, it needs be noted that YWAM leader Darlene Cunningham published guidelines concerning leaders and confrontations. If someone had a grievance or a problem with someone in YWAM leadership, then these are the following steps a good leader should take:
How to Deal with Confrontation:
General thoughts to consider when handling sticky
situations
By Darlene Cunningham
1. Look beyond the person's words to the motives of their
heart. The method or approach may be harsh or unwise, but if you'll take their
complaint to the Lord in humility, you may learn much.
2. Look for the truth. Even when 99 percent of a
complaint is unwarranted, there is nearly always some seed of truth to be
discovered. Our critics are often our best friends. They help keep us in
balance.
3. Don't be defensive. If someone "comes on
strong" with an accusation against you, remember that it is possibly out
of their own insecurity. You, as an authority figure have a great potential to
wound others easily and deeply if there is a lack of self-control or wisdom in
your response. Beware of taking a "you, you, you" attack mode in
order to defend yourself. Remember that love delights to cover over another's
transgression.
4. If you have difficulty receiving correction, do a
study on the “wise man" who receives instruction. Proverbs 1:5, “Let the
wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get
guidance" (see also Proverbs 4:13 and 9:9).
How to avoid the need for someone to confront you
1. Make yourself vulnerable and approachable. Create an
environment which encourages people to feel free to give input and ask
questions. This will also allow many opportunities for you to teach principles.
2. Be humble. Freely admit, “I don't have it all together. I need you and your input." Recognize that you have areas where you need to learn. A threatened leader carries a heavy burden, always trying to cover over weaknesses to make himself or herself look good. (Date: 2/1/2004 | Source: International YWAMer | Issue: IYFeb04)
Is this a mandate?
It seems so. Does it only apply then within the constructs of the YWAM DTS or
like setting? Are YWAM’s leaders not expected to abide in some fashion to these
exhortations even with people outside their organization, especially in
churches where they minister? Reading through those various points I can say I
have experienced the diametric opposite in my quest to meet and talk with Danny
Lehmann. No judgment on the why of the matter, just an assessment on the fact.
In summary of this
section, we have written letters and attempted to meet and talk civilly about
our concerns with YWAM and his teachings and with very few exception met with
total resistance and unwillingness to reconcile or resolve any matters. He has
responded only twice and was disingenuous in his response to one of my queries
and has since been unwilling to the utmost to meet or respond to any further
attempts on my part.
Here’s what he says
about approachability and the need to lovingly confront someone who is in
error:
“But if you see somebody overtaken in a fault
you go and restore them one on one. The Bible says if somebody sins against
you, you go to them one on one and you tell them they’ve sinned against you or
if they sinned. If they don’t hear you, go and get two or three witnesses, go
back and try to, the objective is always to win them and always to correct
them. If you see that I'm wrong and you judge that I'm wrong, please come and
tell me. I want to be corrected…” (Danny Lehmann “The Tree of Life”
9/18/05).
This is most
certainly NOT the attitude we have witnessed in our attempts to dialog about
our concerns with what he and YWAM have been teaching. If we did not care for
him personally we would not have tried to approach him. In fact, we have tried
more times than is required from the Scriptures only because we care for him. We
have received not much else but rejection, refusal, name-calling and subsequent
negative references to our ministries on his program and in his sermons and to
others. Is he really open to correction or willing to discuss these serious
matters? Is he willing to explain and clarify his accusations and assessments
of our ministries.
“We have to be humble enough to receive correction. It tells us in the
book of Galatians, if you see someone that’s overtaken in a fault, you have to
judge whether they have a fault or not so there’s a judgment, go to them but
restore them in a spirit of humility considering your self because you might be
tempted to do the same thing. So the objective is always to restore the person.
Not to correct them or set them straight or change their life…”(Danny Lehmann “On Fire” 10 /05).
Galatians 6:1 says: “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” A loving correction is in view. Part of this restoration may involve correction, a setting straight or even heartfelt rebuke. Needless to say this is nowhere near the attitude we’ve experienced from him when asked about certain things. Nearly everything we have brought up to him is “received” as a personal attack or slander when that was not the case nor the intention. We, merely followed exhortations by Lehmann and other Calvary pastors concerning how to deal with false teachings and dangerous influences coming into the church. In light of this I ask Mr. Lehmann a question using another verse in Galatians: ‘Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?”(4:16).
Lehmann once told a group of men in a men’s leadership
seminar at Calvary Chapel Honolulu: “You must deal with the error in your
church or organization before it returns to deal with you”. This apparently is
not as well received or in practice where YWAM or its teachings are concerned.
Note: Lehmann
speaks of how kind and amiable he’s trying to be and how we need to model
loving attitudes and willingness to counsel and hear and show affection with
one another…just don’t disagree with him. This becomes more of do I say but in
practice it is not found. This behavior in a word: Unbecoming.
“Jesus said ‘Love your
enemies’…Does He mean you’re supposed to have these warm, fuzzy feelings about
your enemy? Of course not. How can you? You cannot. It’s impossible. That’s why
they’re your enemy right? Because they don’t evoke those kinds of feelings.
Enemies invoke anger feelings. ‘I want to kill’ type feelings. ‘ I would like
to slit their throat’ kind of feelings. That’s the kind of feelings we have,
right? Can I say that in church? I'm glad I got that off my chest. Sometimes I
just want to cut their throat and make it over with. But I cannot do that so I
have to choose to have love for those people…”(Danny Lehmann 11/05/05).
Seems like this is
not a natural reaction of love but a restraining from doing harm. He says the
above remarks with sort of a “Nazi-esque” accent in a jesting manner so I take
his words with a grain of salt except for one reservation: I have seen a side
of him in our few meetings that said things sarcastically and with spite to the
point that I feel very strongly he considers me an enemy. It wouldn’t be hard to believe that he
struggles with these types of feelings towards myself and others who disagree
with him.
I trust you can see
the vast obstacle to any kind of reconciliation or coming together that
currently exists. I am not advocating reconciling with YWAM or its leaders on
doctrinal grounds unless repentance is made for some of the devastating errors
being taught and promoted. I’m not looking for some gooey consensus with
feigned shows of unity and buddy back-slapping either. The truth is at stake
here and being compromised blatantly in these teachings and behaviors. All I
can convey in this series of articles is that I do love this man’s soul and am
concerned for him and his well-being as well as for the safety of many who hear
him in the Body of Christ. His lack of willingness to meet and talk these
issues out is deplorable and not exemplary of any of us called to Christian
ministry or shepherding.
The reality of this
situation is that it has become dire. Whenever a so-called minister can stand
and say what is being said with such a lack of discernment and an alarming
level of false doctrine, we are in trouble! The need for watchmen to speak out
on these things is far past and now here we face an uncertainty concerning the
future ministry allowances of Danny Lehmann as he continues introducing
aberrant teachings and heresies to the Body of Christ, Calvary Chapels. To be
sure, he is drifting farther and farther away from biblical truth on the nature
of God and salvation in Christ.
We pray for him and
for a repentance and a return to the bible as the guide for faith and practice
before it’s too late. It is not for me to say who its too late for or who still
has a chance but I fear the worst unless something is done.
Take this article
of my personal experience as the truth being shared in love. This article had
to be written: For true love of Jesus Christ, God’s Word and His church…For
true love of Danny Lehmann’s soul, and for the sake of the truth I can do
nothing less…
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Cor. 16:13,14).