Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hills Bible Church (weekly attendance of 10,000) appeared on MSNBC recently with his book Love Wins. The heretical book's premise is that all people go to heaven because the love of God wins over His justice. Mocking the true Church as narrow and offensive, his book lures seekers away from God's Truth to a new kind of "gospel." Read it here.

Harold Camping is at it again, predicting the end of the word on May 21, 2011. The 90 year old self-proclaimed prophet has predicted the end of the world before but this time he insists he has it right. Read it here. 

The New Evangelical Left is pushing the bounds of Christianity to correct what they have determined to be inequality and injustice. Their goal is to bring heaven to earth. Read it here.

Our ministry in Emporia, Kansas had an interesting encounter Saturday afternoon when Jane and I went to Sacred Heart Catholic Church before Mass to engage Roman Catholics with the Gospel. Whenever we travel, I also make an effort to witness to Roman Catholic priests whenever they are available. As we were in the church sowing the imperishable seeds of God's Word through our Gospel tracts, I noticed the light on the confessional box was lit indicating the priest was hearing confessions. I waited for my turn and then went in to share God's Word with Richard Warsnak, the local priest. There was no screen separating him from me as in the old days, so we talked face to face. He asked me how long it had been since my last confession. I told him 26 years and I could not begin to remember my sins of commission or omission. He told me not to worry because I will be forgiven when I leave the confessional box. I asked him what were the conditions to receive forgiveness. He assured me there are no conditions, he would forgive me. Then I told him I had been reading the Bible and had come to realize that the Word of God stands in opposition to many of the Catholic teachings on forgiveness, salvation, purification of sin and the person and work of Jesus Christ. He asked me to give examples, so I shared some verses from the Bible and how they opposed the religious traditions found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I asked him if these presented a crisis in his faith and he said he saw no conflict between the two. For about 15 minutes I explained how it was logically impossible to believe what the Catechism taught and what the Bible taught about salvation. His told me that I had been reading too much. Please join me in prayer for God to grant him repentance and saving faith.

We received a phone call from Craig Pytleski of The Fellowship of Catholic University Students at George Mason University in northern Virginia. He was upset with our subscribers who were using our Gospel tracts to witness to Roman Catholics on campus. After witnessing to Craig on two different phone calls, I am more aware than ever that the Word of God has no effect on an unbeliever unless the Spirit of God is present. For over an hour, I shared numerous verses that presented the objective truth of the Gospel and many more verses that rebuked the lies of the adversary, but with no effect. Craig could give no logical or rational answers to the conflict between God's Word and The Catechism of the Catholic Church. He told me his faith is in the Roman Catholic Church he would trust his religion over the Bible. Sadly the Word of God brought further condemnation on Craig because it never returns void, always accomplishing its purpose. It brings salvation to those who believe it and further condemnation for those who reject it. When we finished I quoted our Lord Jesus Christ when He said, ""He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day" (John 12:48). Please join me in prayer for God to grant Craig repentance leading to knowledge of the truth. May God continue to bless and protect our subscribers as they sow the imperishable seed of God's Word. To order some of these tracts click here.

Dear Mike,

I just attended the Red River Bible Conference and heard your elegant presentation on the way and the need to evangelize. I really enjoyed it and liked your form of presentation. When the last question during the Q&A was asked about predestination, you offered a Calvinistic answer. Was I right in what I heard? You quoted 2 Thes. 2:13 which states "....God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth", which I take to mean he has chosen the MEANS of salvation NOT the INDIVIDUALS who would be saved. I know this debate has raged for a long time, and is not likely to be settled soon, but you seem like a reasonable fellow, with a solid approach to Scripture. Could you address where you stand on this matter? 

Thanks,H.H.,Moorhead, MN

Dear H.H., 

I am always surprised when people say I give Calvinistic answers to questions on predestination and election. I quoted the inspired Word of God from the pen of the apostle Paul. I never mentioned Calvin nor do I follow John Calvin. I am neither pro-Calvin nor anti-Calvin. He had areas where his theology and life were questionable, which is why we should not trust in man in whom there is no salvation (Psalm 146:3). Catholic apologists are always trying to get me to read and believe the early church fathers. I tell them everyman's theology should be built on the solid rock of Christ and His Word, not on the church fathers or John Calvin. Remember Calvin only rediscovered the Scriptures which had been hidden by the Roman Catholic religion for 1000 years. I believe 2 Thes. 2:13-14 is saying who - the individuals, and how - the means, God saved people. Paul writes, "God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. If you would like to talk more please call. 

Blessings, Mike

While ministering in Emporia, Kansas the first week of April, Mike and Jane experienced some of the extreme weather middle America often receives. Sunday evening the darkest clouds we have seen in years appeared and hail, the size of ping pong balls, began pelting our rental car. Unfortunately they were not as light as ping pong balls and the car suffered extensive damage. When I called my insurance agency in San Antonio, I found out God had provided a divine appointment. She was a Roman Catholic who had been participating in an evangelical Bible study. After I told her about our ministry, she wanted me to e-mail her our current newsletter "The Only Hope for a World Spinning Out of Control." Now may the God who set up the divine appointment give her spiritual eyes to see the truth of the Gospel in the article.