TMAI has 16 training centers world-wide. I’ve taken a close look into the church growth backgrounds of the TMAI leadership and I’ve cited examples of their transformational language. Let’s now take a look at some of the activities of some of these TMAI centers.
TMAI BRAZIL
TMAI Brazil Partners with Mozambican Government
The TMAI training center in Brazil is called the Ekklesia Institute (IE). EI partners with Central Baptist Church of Fortaleza, Brazil, “which has helped spearhead the institute’s vision country-wide.” The leader of EI is Tyler Hopkins, a Master’s Seminary graduate. “Over the next 25 years, the Ekklesia Institute seeks to train 100 pastors and church leaders in each of the Portuguese speaking nations of the world.” So “training Brazilians makes sense—not just for making disciples in South America, but for theologically equipped Brazilians to go out into other nations of the world as disciplemakers.”
The headline of the June 2006 TMAI newsletter reads, “Focus: Project Maputo.” What is Project Maputo? Project Maputo is “a church planting and leadership training enterprise and I.E.’s pilot project in Mozambique.” According to the June 2006 TMAI newsletter, “Brazil and Mozambique share the Portuguese language…and they also share I.E.’s attention, and that attention is planting the seeds of change in both nations.” Notice they are planting “seeds of change.” The Maputo Project “is a plan to plant an urban church in the Mozambican capitol, Maputo, that will serve as a leadership training base in the country.” “…there is not one church (in Maputo) that is effective in making disciples.” So E.I. will “equip African pastors to multiply the disciple making efforts…” Four churches in Fortaleza, Brazil are partnering with I.E. in the Maputo Project.
How and why did Ekklesia Institute (TMAI Brazil) go to Maputo, the capitol of Mozambique? “In early March (2006), the President of the Baptist Convention of Mozambique, Isaias Uaene, invited the Ekklesia Institute to organize a pastor’s conference in Maputo.” The Baptist Convention of Mozambique is a member of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). The BWA is a UN-NGO dedicated to the one-world agenda. According to the TMAI website, in Dec. 2005, Mozambique’s Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Massingue, also met briefly with I.E. leaders “when he visited Fortaleza (Brazil).”
When I.E. leaders went to Maputo they were to lead a pastor’s conference there. The President of the Mozambique Baptist Convention “asked I.E.’s leaders to speak on “Understanding a Biblical Philosophy of Ministry and Pastoral Integrity.” The conference attracted “150 African church leaders.” According to the TMAI website, “The teaching (at the conference) was excellent, yet it is clear that without an existing example of a progressive, biblical ministry in the city, most of what is taught at the conference remains theoretical to most of the listeners. Maputo needs a thoroughly biblical and progressive evangelical church that will serve as an exemplary ministry. This is why the Maputo Project embraces church planting as well as leadership training.” What is a “progressive evangelical church?” The Maputo Project embraces church planting and leadership training. Church planting and leadership training are the “P” (plant churches) and the first “E” (equip leaders) in R Warren’s PEACE plan.
What else did the I.E’s leaders do during their stay in Maputo? “In Maputo, Mr. Massingue [Mozambique’s Minister of Science and Technology] invited Pastor Armando (IBC Fortaleza’s [I.E. partner] senior pastor) to a meeting of his national secretaries. Armando was given a full hour with these officials in order to address HOW CHRISTIANITY IS CONCERNED WITH DEVELOPMENT (emphasis added). Armando is a master at seizing a good opportunity and the Mozambican officials responded enthusiastically. They even extended his time and asked another Brazilian on our team, Amarilio Fontenele, a civil engineer, to present his suggestion on how to develop a standardized public housing dwelling. Now, back in Brazil, Amarilio is assisting the Mozambican government to develop a standardized design.” Armando told these Mozambican government officials how “Christianity is concerned with development!” What kind of Christianity is practiced by TMAI Brazil?
So, at the behest of a UN-NGO member org, TMAI Brazil is now partnering with a foreign government in what appears to be a housing development project. This church-state development partnership sounds similar to what Habitat for Humanity (UN) does when it comes to town and partners with churches. In partnering with a foreign government in a housing development project, John Macarthur’s Grace Church, through TMAI Brazil, is finding its proper place and function within Peter Drucker’s Communitarian partnership (New World Order).
In another article on the TMAI website, I.E.’s leader’s meetings with Mozambican government officials are described “as a series of providential encounters” as “the team ‘crossed paths’ with an official within the country’s Ministry of Labor.” But doubt is cast on just how “providential” these encounters really were since another article on the Maputo Project states that the Minister of Science and Technology for Mozambique, Mr. Massingue, had already met with I.E.’s leaders months prior in Brazil.
Is TMAI Brazil interested in training pastors to preach the true gospel in Mozambique? Or is TMAI Brazil interested in fulfilling R Warren’s PEACE plan? TMAI Brazil is “P”lanting churches, “E”quipping leaders and “A”ssisting the poor (building housing). Through their leadership development they are “E”ducating the next generation. Are they “C”uring the sick? “When IBC’s senior pastor, Armando Bispo, was invited to speak to students at the Medical School at Mendlane University (in Maputo),” others from I.E. joined him. Why were I.E.’s team invited to a medical school to speak to students?
Regarding the state of Christianity in Mozambique, a senior pastor in Maputo stated, “When the Marxists ruled Mozambique, we weren’t supposed to believe in God anymore; now that we are free to believe again, most well-educated people don’t remember God even exists.” This pastor fails to understand that the Communitarians now rule Mozambique. And they are very happy to allow the type of “Christianity” that TMAI is bringing there: “Christianity” that’s engaged in leadership training and construction projects. The Mozambican government is now being transformed into a Communitarian partnership with the social sector (church) and business sector. This transformation is being facilitated by change agents dedicated to the one-world agenda.
Regarding the church’s needs in Maputo, Mozambique, the TMAI website states, “Her leaders need training, boldness and a vision to reform the church so it may meet the challenges of a city that is rapidly becoming part of a global economy and culture.” That TMAI quote sums up TMAI’s goals pretty well: Train leaders by casting them a vision to “reform” the church “so it may meet the challenges” of a rapidly changing, global society. Change agents are asking: “What is the role of the church in our rapidly changing society?” As Communitarian partners? As social workers? As a one-stop welfare distribution center? Is the Church called to “reform” and to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing global economy as the TMAI transformational leaders desire? God forbid!
TMAI HONDURAS
Training Leaders for Cuban “Cell” Churches
The TMAI training center in Honduras is called Ministerios Evangelicos de las Americas (MEDA) or the Evangelical Ministries of the Americas. MEDA has “a conference program, and now an established seminary, MEDA is equipping Bible teachers and church leaders in Honduras, as well as the rest of Central America.” “In 2005, MEDA ministered to 1400 different pastors and lay leaders through its 23 conferences and it ministered to 30 men at the seminary level.” Having a seminary with a 4 year curriculum, is MEDA a biblical training center? Is there evidence that MEDA, like TMAI BRAZIL, is also partnering with the government?
In the March, 2007 TMAI newsletter, a headline reads, “A Visit from the Vice President.” The article gives an account of a visit the Vice President of Honduras, Elvin Santos, made to the MEDA facilities in Jan 2007. The following quote is from the article written by Pastor Adrian Donato of MEDA, a graduate of the Master’s College and the Master’s Seminary. “The secret police came about an hour before the Vice President was to arrive…” “Eventually, the Vice President came over the mountains in his thunderous, blasting helicopter. He touched down on the MEDA soccer field and was surrounded by military and secret service as he came over to shake hands and greet our families, and the MEDA personnel.”
The Vice President then hopped aboard one of a caravan of cars that headed to the local “municipality where every mayor in Honduras was present.” Pastor Adrian Donato was asked to drive his car in the middle of the caravan from MEDA to the municipality. Due to the presence of the Vice President, security was on high alert during the trip, and Pastor Donato, feeling like a part of the security team exclaimed, “It was at that point that I realized I was really honoring the King in a very practical way out of love for Christ!” This MEDA pastor was honoring the King (in caps), referring to the VP of Honduras, “out of love for Christ!”
When they arrived at the municipality, Pastor Donato preached to all the mayors of Honduras. He read from John 19:7-11 and he “asked that each one of these mayors would carry out their duties and functions with the consciousness that they are accountable to God the Father.” Have any of these mayors heard the gospel and are any of them saved? “At the end of the ceremony, the Vice President specifically thanked MEDA for its hospitality AND ITS WILLINGNESS TO SERVE (emphasis added).” Willingness to serve? To serve whom? Is the Vice President of Honduras thanking MEDA (TMAI Honduras) for its willingness to serve the Lord Jesus Christ? This is most unlikely given that Pastor Donato later states, “We don’t think the President, nor the Vice President are Christians…” “After the ceremony, the train [caravan of cars] returned to MEDA, we enjoyed lunch at one of the MEDA homes with the Vice President and other dignitaries.” It appears that MEDA was used by the VP as his base during this stay. “At that time, Carlos Nunez (MEDA’s Executive Director) shared what we do at MEDA [to the dignitaries] and how the changed lives of people who submit to Christ is what will transform the culture. It was great!” The MEDA leadership also intends “to transform the culture” supposedly by “the changed lives of those who submit to Christ.” Will the Honduran culture be “transformed” by Christians submitting to Jesus Christ, or by community members submitting to MEDA’s leadership training program?
Pastor Donato ends by stating, “We have just been approached by the Colonel of the military base here in town to pray with them and to offer them biblical counseling!” “…the Lord has…given testimony of Him before kings and governors!”
The article also stated regarding this Vice Presidential visit: “The whole thing came about just by being neighborly and modeling Christ to our city mayor.” Are we, as Christians, called to obey Christ or to “model” Christ? “Modeling Christ” is not didactic teaching, it is transformational language and behavior employed by the church growth movement. To “model” Christ is like an actor playing a role. “When an actor takes on an archetypal role through method acting by implanting an aspect of that archetype into their psyche, essentially becoming a gateway for an egregore [a demon].” (The Art of Memetics, p. 74.) To “model” Christ is not to be born again, but to take on a role that would only change one’s outward behavior.
Another TMAI newsletter (8/07) stated that MEDA received another visit from the Vice President of Honduras in June, 2007. Why the second visit? To ask Bible questions? Or to help facilitate MEDA’s “willingness to serve?”
Does MEDA have connections with any other governments? To quote from the Jan, 2007 TMAI newsletter: In 2001, Carlos Montoya, a Master’s Seminary graduate, “moved with his family to Honduras to serve the Lord at MEDA.” “In April of 2006, Carlos received an email from Len Crowley with Counsel & Capital, offering an opportunity to extend MEDA’s ministry beyond the borders of Central America—to train key evangelical leaders from Cuba.” The plan called for bringing 10 men from Cuba to a pastor’s conference at MEDA. There was the matter of “obtaining permission from the Cuban government.”
Bringing the Cubans to the conference “involved a pair of calls to the Chief of Staff to the Honduran President, one of which resulted in intervention from the President himself.” (One of the men organizing the conference was the cousin of this Chief of Staff.)
The Cuban government allowed 3 men to attend the conference at MEDA. One of these Cubans explained “that the Cuban church is experiencing an unprecedented growth in the form of ‘cell’ churches throughout the country. Because of this, there are not enough leaders to lead those churches.” (“So many churches with so few leaders” ought to be the motto for the church growth movement.)
Notice that this Cuban didn’t say there was unprecedented growth in Christianity in Cuba; rather, he said there was unprecedented church growth in the form of “cell” churches. Cuba is a communist nation where true Christianity isn’t allowed. According to a U.S. Department of State warning in 2004 regarding Cuba: “Cuba is a totalitarian police state, which relies on repressive methods to maintain control.” 103. But now that Cuba, like the rest of the world, is being transformed by Communitarianism, a cell church led by “Christian” leaders is allowed; a cell church, being essentially a network of facilitator-led small groups or home groups. These “Christian” cells will be led by men transformed through leadership development.
Keep in mind that the man who brought this Cuban venture to the attention of MEDA, Len Crowley, the managing director of Counsel & Capital, is a ministry representative for the Center for Church-Based Training (CCBT). The CCBT is a ministry that offers “facilitator-led small group studies” for sale under the guise of “discipleship for small groups.” Has the CCBT found a market for their “facilitator-led small group studies” in Cuba since their “explosion in cell churches” has occurred?
If anyone thinks the Vice President of Honduras is visiting and thanking MEDA for its “willingness to serve” the Lord Jesus Christ or if anyone thinks there is an explosion in true Christianity in Cuba that’s taking the form of “cell” churches, then they are greatly deceived.
Global Ministries (www.ubmissions.com) is the “worldwide outreach of the United Brethren in Christ.” It appears to me that Global Ministries is mostly involved in construction projects. The Global Ministries Leadership Team “is asking leaders in our overseas churches to develop well-defined project proposals.” According to the Global Ministries website, Evangelical Ministries of the Americas (MEDA) is partnering with their subsidiary in Honduras. They are partnering in a “leadership development” project.
According to the TMAI newsletter (5/06), Wellington Christian Church in Kentucky partners with MEDA. This church’s head pastor is Wayne Holcomb. “His church is extending the scope of its outreach by partnering with the MEDA training center in Honduras.” Pastor Holcomb stated that he wanted to “extend the Wellington ministry.” “We have a number of doctors who want to provide medical assistance to the poor,” said Holcomb.
The Wellington Church website describes their ministry at MEDA: “Wellington took a team of 13 members to Honduras in September 2006 to assist local pastors in teaching God’s word, providing VBS outreach, and conducting several medical clinics. Our pastor, Wayne Holcomb, taught a Bible Survey class in a local church, while other members of the team worked with nearly 2,000 children and provided medical care to 475. Wellington plans to send another team to Honduras in July 2007.”
Wellington Church’s newsletter cites one missionary qualification as “a willingness to serve as a cross-cultural disciple-maker.” And “missions are exciting, spiritually life-changing…” Regarding their 2006 mission trip to Honduras, a missionary said, “…I knew from the beginning my life would be forever changed.” “My life has changed since Honduras.”
Wellington Church offers 100, 200, 300, 400 level courses. Their last course, Christianity 406, is called Financial Peace University which is “a life-changing program that teaches you how to make the right decisions with your money. You’ll be empowered…” One of their Bible series courses “will emphasize the life-changing content of the gospel…”
Wellington Church has a small group ministry. Among other reasons for this ministry: “Wellington’s small group ministry” exists “to pursue our joy in the Lord through the multiplication of worshippers…” How do these small groups function? “Small groups are the basic units for Christian Community at Wellington. These groups are made up of 8-15 people in which the body-life of the church is lived out through the development of intimate relationships; through the discovery and use of spiritual gifts; through the discipline of discipleship; through going “outside the camp” (Heb. 13:13) to bring others to Christ…” But Heb 13:13 doesn’t imply that unbelievers should be brought into the groups. “It is within a small group such as this that the ministry of Wellington and the Body of Christ becomes most effective in our lives.” “The groups are led by gifted and trained leaders.”
The Wellington website states that the reason for small groups is to “help meet the needs of others.” It states, “Our prayer is that virtually every member and regular visitor of Wellington will view participation in a small group as an integral part of their privilege and responsibility that comes with being a part of the Body of Christ. The Lord wills to satisfy our deepest need which flows through us as we help meet the needs of others.” Change agents are able to manipulate and transform by appealing to people’s “felt needs.”
TMAI SOUTH AFRICA
Pastor Coertze is a leader of a Baptist World Alliance (UN-NGO) member organization
The TMAI center in South Africa is called Christ Baptist Church Seminary or Christ Seminary. The Christ Baptist Church website states that “Christ Baptist Church has 3 basic arms, one being the congregation reflected through its membership, the other being our seminary called Christ Seminary and then our mission arm called Samaria Mission.”
The senior pastor of Christ Baptist Church since 1989 has been Nicki Coertze. According to the TMAI website, Pastor Coertze has served on the National Executive Committee of the Baptist Union of Southern Africa for 14 years. He has also lead the denomination “on both associational and national levels as President.” The Baptist Union of Southern Africa is a member of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA). The BWA is an NGO in consultative status with the UN’s Economic and Social Council.
Christ Seminary trains men who they have “already identified as faithful and capable” through “an in-service, church-based program which combines rigorous studies with local church involvement.” Their “modular program is nine days in class, and 21 days back in the village.” While the students are in the village, the seminary teachers “can provide an accurate assessment of their progress.” According to a TMAI newsletter, these students will be filling “the many empty pulpits in South Africa.” These students will be interns in the churches to which the seminary sends them.
One church leader who takes in Christ Seminary interns has labeled his church as “essentially a live lab for them.” His church, Grace Christian Church, “has become a lab in which Christ Seminary’s students prove what they are learning in class.” With the help of Christ Seminary grads, this pastor hopes to establish “a model church” or “a training church.” He says, “It’s very much the strategy in Africa—to replicate working churches.” This is about the establishment of a “teaching church” which replicates the TQM process elsewhere. It’s similar to McDonalds franchising their original store. Did Spurgeon get his start by being “supervised, “mentored,” and “assessed,” in the “live labs” of a “church-based modular program?”
The TMAI website has asked for prayer that Christ Seminary will get through the registration process with the Higher Education Qualification Council. Their status as a seminary was being decided by the Department of Education. It looks like Christ Seminary did receive government accreditation because the website states, “Due to its accreditation, two of the professors at Christ Seminary, Steve Plodinec and Dave Beakley, are required to have a PhD.” It’s clear that Christ Seminary is conforming to government standards.
Christ Baptist Church (CBC) is pastored by Nicki Coertze. Their website states that CBC “has a host of ministries to various age groups…” The website says, “Cell groups form a crucial aspect of encouraging closer fellowship and relationships in the body…” The CBC website lists several “growth groups” along with their meeting times. The CBC “Youth Ministry” is called “Rattpack” which is an acronym. Regarding Rattpack: “Discipleship is an integral part of the group, and to accommodate this we have many small groups that meet throughout the week…”
The CBC “Junior Youth Ministry” is called “The Core” which is another acronym. Their symbol is the triquetra overlapping the sign for radioactivity. A triquetra is actually a satanic symbol that means 666. The mission of “The Core” is “to find your identity.” The Core website asks, “Are you going to be part of this vision?” The Core site says that “God is shining down and we need to reflect him.” “We have a purpose; we need a vision; we are more than Junior Youth.”
In March 2007, Grace Community Church hosted a TMAI Advisory Council luncheon. Directors from TMAI’s worldwide centers were present as was John Macarthur who spoke to the TMAI leaders. At this Advisory Council meeting Nicki Coertze asked, “How do we impact a continent as large as Africa which has 53 countries? The only way to change is to fill the pulpits of Africa with men to teach, train and live the Bible.” He went on to say, “We have ships without pilots at this point. But the ships are there. The gospel has been part of Africa for 2000 years.” Mr. Coertze, a leader of a UN-NGO member org, wants to “impact” and “change” Africa. The impression is given that Africa is filled with Christian congregations patiently waiting and praying for an organization like TMAI to come along and fill their empty pulpits. What kind of trained leaders will TMAI South Africa send to fill these pulpits? Will they be traditional Christians or transformational leaders sent to “impact” and “change?”
Samaria Mission is the missions arm of Christ Baptist Church (TMAI South Africa). It has both a mission and vision statement. Its mission: “…to be obedient to the great commission by effectively becoming involved in the process of church planting through evangelism, discipleship, church development and social upliftment.” Its vision: “…to be faithful to the command of Christ…through the efforts of evangelism, discipleship and development of strong local churches that in turn can reproduce. To train nationals to reach nationals is a top priority.” “Our vision is to see the world saved.”
To achieve their goals, they first send “a team who evangelizes an area.” Then, “a second team follows up with an in depth discipleship of these new believers.” This team also “identifies leaders.” And “a third group then constructs the physical building for the church to gather in. Thereafter we need to train leaders to pastor these churches.” A “further goal is to assist these people by helping them to raise aid in the form of wells, clothes, medical clinics, etc.”
Samaria Mission wants to “present the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to unreached people groups.” Reaching “people groups” is a strategy employed by the church growth movement. World Partners USA also wants to “reach people groups.” The rationale behind this is the notion that if you can get a leader of a “people group” or “tribe” to believe in Christ, then the others in that particular people group will follow the leader and also believe in Christ.
Many church growth orgs will state that they want to train indigenous church leaders. The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) is organizing the Earth into bioregions ruled by their indigenous pagan tribes. These pagan tribes will eventually oversee all religious institutions within their respective bioregions. This Satanic agenda originated from a report called “Rethinking Missions” issued in 1932 by the John D Rockefeller Jr. financed Layman’s Foreign Missions Inquiry. “Rethinking Missions” recommended a gradual transfer of power to indigenous churches.
(Heeding Bible Prophecy: New Earth: Bioregions)
Samaria Mission is also in Mozambique. According to their website, “There are many areas in the country where there are un-reached and least reached people groups.” “We desire to reach the people of Mozambique by evangelizing them and by planting churches. Our focus is to develop these new churches with discipleship of the new converts and in leadership training.” “Church growth is taking place [in Mozambique] but…there is little or no infrastructure.” Their “teams assist us in: Preaching the Gospel, men’s and women’s ministry through bible teaching, children’s ministry through bible teaching and crafts, medical ministry, orphan feeding, well drilling, and construction projects.”
As of 2006, Samaria Mission offered a “Train & Multiply Leadership Course” which was presented to churches in Mozambique. Under the headline “Church and Leadership Development” it said, “The goal of our discipleship ministry is to reach the world for Jesus Christ by producing reproducing Christian leaders through the ministry of disciple making, thus fully obeying the great commission.” In church growth orgs, “disciple making” is leadership training which is change agent training. These change agents then reproduce themselves as they transform others.
As of 2 years ago, Samaria Mission ran the “Missions Leadership Development School (MLDS).” (The school no longer exists as this entity.) The “purpose of the MLDS is [was] to train and equip…new staff, in order to bond them to the Mission staff…” The MLDS emphasized that learning shouldn’t be only theoretical. Regarding this learning MLDS stated, “It is the difference between leadership training which imparts knowledge and leadership development which develops the person.” MLDS is saying that though there may be a leadership training which employs didactic teaching and just “imparts knowledge,” their “leadership development develops the person.” It changes the person. R Warren and other church growth change agents often promote a “people building process” for the church.
I have read the Samaria Mission orientation manual for would be missionaries to places like Mozambique. The orientation manual makes it clear that any would be missionary will have almost no freedom and will be completely subordinate to his team leader. You will “work as a team” as “training teams will consist of an overall group leader and smaller team leaders…” Under the headline “Standards and Practical Information” is a rule for missionaries which states, “Avoid any political or religious arguments.” In going on these missionary trips, ones schedule and nearly everything one does will be closely controlled and pre-determined.
Samaria Mission, the mission arm of GCC’s TMAI South Africa, lists several “partner churches” that support their missions. Let’s take a very brief look at some of these partner churches that have websites. Will these partners be Christian churches or will they all be transformational, Communitarian churches?
One Samaria Mission partner is called The First Baptist Church of Orange Park in Florida. The First Baptist Church of Orange Park is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention (UN-NGO). Under the headline, “connect in a small group,” their website states, “We believe the small group is a key to growing healthy as a believer in Christ. It’s within the small group that relationships develop and honest answers can be found.” “We encourage all believers to be part of one small group meeting each week.” This church also encourages volunteer community involvement. “We encourage you to find a place to serve within our community. This may be volunteering at the hospital, visiting local nursing homes, being a homeroom mom or dad at your child’s school, coaching youth sports at the YMCA or OPAA, or many other ways. It may just be helping out your neighbor. Whatever you discover, find a way to show Christ in your community.” They want you to “show Christ” through volunteer work (social gospel). “Preaching Christ” would be divisive and anti-Communitarian. The First Baptist Church of Orange Park is also encouraging involvement in a 2-day “Just Give Me Jesus” event with Anne Graham Lotz, Billy Graham’s daughter.
The First Baptist Church of Orange Park has an “Upward” sports ministry for children. Its symbol is a 5-pointed star. Their motto is “Every Child is a Winner.” The unique rules to Upward Basketball “promote character and self-esteem.” In an attempt to eliminate “negative feedback” given to an official, “Coaches, referees, and parents work together as a unified team to stop the Circle of Criticism by implementing the Circle of Affirmation instead.” “Following each game, teams and parents gather together as each player is awarded an iron-on star, which is intended to build the player’s self-esteem and team spirit.” What kind of “team spirit” is being built? How does this 5-pointed “iron-on star” build “team spirit?” A 5-pointed star is a pentagram. A pentagram is a symbol for Masonry, Satanism and Witchcraft. A pentagram attracts demons and can be used to invoke demons.
The First Baptist Church of Orange Park explains that “it’s time for a makeover…for our women’s ministry.” So, they are “introducing ‘Girlfriends Unlimited.’” “Women today are looking for fresh and fun ways to connect with other women and with Jesus. They want something new and different. Something relevant and relational that meets them where they are. Girlfriends Unlimited centers on bringing women together in casual, fun settings so that they can meet new friends or are comfortable bringing old friends. It offers over-the-top themed events called G! Events where women might play games, experience pampering, or find entertainment. Or they may engage in helpful demonstrations (maybe the three top self-defense techniques) or create crafts. No matter what, it’s good ol’ fashioned fun! Girlfriends Unlimited also offers smaller, monthly “Girlfriends’ Night Out” experiences that gather the women in your group together to connect with one another. We’ll provide the how-to guides with themes like spa, fitness, creative expression, and more.”
Another Samaria Mission partner is Bethany Baptist Church in Illinois. They link to Promise Keepers, they have a partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ, and they have several small groups called “Adult Bible Communities (ABC).” ABC’s provide “a small church within a big church community.” Some are “care groups” to provide “a quick connection with a smaller group of believers.” (In church growth, a “CARE” group can stand for “create a relational environment.”) Bethany offers a class called “Discovering Spiritual Shape.” A member of Bethany may serve there “as a disciple-maker.” “The goal of all discipleship is to produce mature men and women who eventually become disciple-makers themselves.” I wonder if the reader has ever made a disciple. Have you ever “reproduced?”
How can one serve as a disciple-maker at Bethany Baptist? “The normal process of becoming a Bethany Disciple-Maker is to 1) go through Bethany’s process of discipleship (a process where you will be personally discipled with Bethany Discipleship resources. This process ranges from 1 ½ – 2 ½ years); 2) obtain the recommendation of your Disciple-Maker to serve as a Disciple-Maker; 3) be willing to serve as a spiritual mentor to other Christians; 4) attend our Annual Disciple-Maker orientation and training meeting; 5) Next you will be placed in our pool of qualified Bethany Disciple-Makers and assigned a Discipleship Committee Member as your point-of-contact (POC) to encourage & help you in your future ministry of discipleship.”
Under “Bethany’s Discipleship Strategy” it states that “discipleship is a life-impartation process.” “Discipleship is a relationship between a growing believer and a growing mature believer in which the discipler imparts his/her life with a goal of progressively reproducing Christlikeness through the process of the study of the Word and service to God.”
One ministry of Bethany Baptist Church is called Evangelism Explosion (EE). EE is a ministry founded by the late D James Kennedy. Kennedy was a prominent change agent, member of the Council for National Policy, and a false teacher who promoted astrology. (“The False Gospel in the Stars.”) EE equips pastors and laypeople in “Leadership Training Clinics.” The language used in this ministry is blatantly transformational.
Another Samaria Mission (TMAI South Africa) partner is Denver Baptist Church in North Carolina. Denver Baptist Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention (UN-NGO) and they link to Focus on the Family (UN-NGO). The Denver Church motto is “a place to connect.” Sounds more like the motto for a coffee shop. They have a small group ministry called “Life Groups.” What is a life group? “A LIFE group is a small group of people at the same stage in life. Each week your group will be talking about different biblical truths. But it isn’t a lecture, it is a group talking about life and how the Bible speaks to us. But it is more than a Bible study. It is a time to enjoy spending time with other people, to eat together, to laugh together, and to build strong relationships with others in our family of faith.” When they say, “It isn’t a lecture,” they mean it isn’t a didactic (traditional) bible study. The groups are for human relationship building. Their “discipleship ministry” is called “core training.”
Denver Baptist’s “Community Impact” hosts a Community Golf League. Denver Baptist Church has a kids sports ministry called “Upward.” “The primary focus of Upward is to develop the Winner in EVERY child, not just a few…we are able to build a league that promotes salvation, character, and self-esteem…” “Upward” looks like a ministry that James Dobson would endorse. One event at Denver Baptist is NASCAR night. “…join us for an evening of NASCAR.” “There will be Pit Crew demonstrations, food and door prizes.” They are planning a Hawaii mission trip. At the Baptist Conference Center in Hawaii they will be working at “landscaping, light construction, painting, mowing grass, weedeating,” and other projects.
Denver Baptist provides a Spiritual Gifts Test for its members. The answers are “seldom,” “sometimes,” “often” or “always.” Here are just a few questions: “I have put effective plans into place to meet group goals.” “If a group doesn’t have a leader, I will lead it.” “I tend to see the potential in people.” “I regularly need to get alone to reflect and develop my imagination.” “I can visualize a coming event, anticipate potential problems, and develop backup plans.”
Another Samaria Mission partner listed is Fielder Road Baptist Church in Texas. Fielder Road is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention (UN-NGO). Fielder Road also wants you to “get connected.” Under the headline, “Get Connected,” it states, “…most of the action around our church won’t happen in any of our services—it will happen in the context of you building relationships with other people.” Fielder Road “offers an ever expanding continuum of relational connection.” Their Fielder Road “GroupLife” page gives info on many different small groups to connect with. One headline on the Fielder Road site states, “It’s about life change.” Not about Jesus Christ? Fielder Road invites you “to join us for a life long journey of personal growth and purposeful living.” On the Fielder Road site under “about us” it states, “Our desire is to show you Jesus Christ like you have never seen Him before.” It goes on: “You’ll find in many ways we are small. In fact, we’re actually a network of small groups.” What’s the Fielder Road (FR) vision? “Fielder Road exists to do whatever it takes to reach people and build a community of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.” Community building is a goal of church growth and Communitarianism. Get everyone synthesized in small groups. They have ministries “meeting the diverse needs of both our church family and the surrounding community.” The transformational language at Fielder Road is blatant, but obviously many with itching ears have been fooled into believing that the Fielder Road leaders are really showing Jesus Christ “like you have never seen Him before.” The Fielder Road “Christ” is the relationship building Christ of diversity, tolerance, compromise and unity.
Fielder Road Baptist Church runs “Life Change University.” On the Life Change University page under “Get Connected,” it states, “…GroupLife offers everyone a place to connect… At Fielder, we value GroupLife because life-change happens best in a smaller, more intimate, relational setting.” “GroupLife is your key to community at Fielder Road.” “Neighborhood small groups are specifically designed to foster meaningful relationships and life-change…” If one takes courses at Life Change University, then, naturally, one can “expect a Life Change.” Keep in mind that this “church” is partnering with John Macarthur’s GCC ministry, TMAI South Africa
Another TMAI South Africa partner listed is PaulAnn Baptist Church in Texas. PaulAnn Baptist Church is another transformational ministry and another member of the Southern Baptist Convention (UN-NGO). According to their website, “We believe that Christian growth happens best in a small group setting. That is why we are a church of small groups. We believe that small groups are the place where sustained life change occurs. We call our small groups Community Life Groups (CLG’s).” “CLG’s build authentic relationships with other PaulAnn members in small group gatherings.” A CLG will “help [you] meet the needs of others in the group.” The PaulAnn Baptist Church Purpose statement is “To provide an environment where people can develop authentic lasting relationships…” Under “About Us,” the website states, “Why not try out one of our high-energy, life-changing services this weekend and see what God might have in store for you here at PaulAnn.” The childrens’ ministry at PaulAnn is called The Kids’ Korner. Within this ministry is the following ministry description: “Kidstuf is not a children’s program but a family ministry for all. We are here to help you transform your child into a spiritual champion!” Their Men’s Ministry coordinates Promise Keeper conferences.
PaulAnn Baptist Church, through their “Project IMPACT,” has found their place and function within the Communitarian system. “Project IMPACT exists to impact the Concho Valley in a positive way by providing services to meet needs and serve as a connection point between schools, churches, and social organizations. Project IMPACT believes that these institutions share common ground (i.e. to impact the lives of people) and therefore should form a strategic alliance to have a positive impact on people and families living in the community. Project IMPACT exists to facilitate such alliances and offer individualized services in order to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs within our community.”
Another Samaria Mission partner is Westmoreland Baptist Church in North Carolina. Westmoreland Baptist Church is a member of the Southern Baptist Convention. They have the cross and crown symbol on a couple pages of their website. One example is in the middle of the webpage here. The cross and crown is a Masonic symbol. It can be seen here as the symbol for the Grand Commandery Knights Templar New York. In addition to the Knights Templar, the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christian Science (both having Masonic connections) have used the cross and crown.
“The Cross and Crown may be said to be confined almost exclusively to the historical degrees in Masonry as exemplified in the various orders of knighthood of York and Scottish rites. In Gaul we find the cross to have been a solar symbol when it had equal arms and angles; to the Phoenicians it was an instrument of sacrifice to their God, Baal; and to the Egyptians, the crux ansata was his symbol of eternal life.” (Ray V. Denslow, Masonic Portraits, Transactions of the Missouri Lodge of Research, vol. #29, p.7—-emphasis in the original) (“LaHaye’s Masonic Connections”)
There was a link on the Westmoreland Baptist Church website [their new website has no links] to “World Changers.” This is a ministry of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention. It looks like World Changers gets Christians engaged in volunteer construction projects.
One link on the Westmoreland Baptist Church website was to “Neighborhood Connections.” This website states, “Imagine the impact if members of your church increased the number of meaningful relationships right in their own neighborhoods by ten-fold.” It goes on to say, “Imagine the effect on both church and community when your people actually build and maintain multiple lasting, meaningful relationships within strolling distance of their own front doors (and feel deeply satisfied doing it).” Neighborhood Connections has come up with a strategy to help churches build these relationships. They say, “We came upon just such an idea, a transformational strategy any-sized, one that costs little and dramatically leverages resources, and that works naturally and seamlessly within 21st-Century American culture.” They go on to offer a strategy: “First identify a purpose shared by the church, by the neighbors, by the community, and by God.” They want diversity to focus on one issue they find in common and then set aside their differences and unify around that issue. This is the synthesis phase of the dialectic process. The issue they chose was world hunger.
This last example from their site shows the true intent Neighborhood Connections has for the churches and the community: “Once friendships have formed, once people begin to talk with neighbors at a truly meaningful level about their dreams and needs, once Christians are praying about what really matters to each neighbor (and some answers to prayer appear), once enough time has elapsed that neighbors can tell the interest is sincere and lasting rather than some quick outreach campaign, then any number of doors can – and do – open wide. Neighborhood Bible studies form, or grow.Mothers’ prayer groups appear. Neighborhood fellowship groups proliferate. Small group ministry is empowered. New neighborhood-based small groups form. Existing small groups gain new members naturally. Neighborhood-based Angel Tree ministry can develop. Neighborhood Christmas gatherings become more widespread. God-given dreams for family and community begin to be fulfilled. Neighborhood self-help ministries emerge. De-churched Christians find connections. Unchurched neighbors know where to turn in a crisis. Churches uncover ministry opportunities previously unknown. Church and community support develops for specific needs. Ministry becomes driven by neighborhood-based Christians, instead of church staff.Community and neighborhood improvement projects evolve.Cooperation, partnerships among area churches develop. City-reaching strategies are empowered. Community transformation dreams begin to get legs.”
Will any in this transformed community be saved? True Christians in this community will be deemed “inadaptable to change” and will be made unwelcome in the “neighborhood-based small groups.” The true Christian will be incapable of taking part in this community transformation. The true authors of this “community transformation dream” are Communitarian change agents.
TMAI NEW ZEALAND
Shepherd’s Bible College Offers Course to Learn “Dialogue Teaching Technique” for “Facilitating Group Health”
TMAI New Zealand is called The Shepherd’s Bible College. The Shepherd’s Bible College was founded in 2000 by two churches: church@riverbend and Hastings Bible Church. In 2006, “The New Zealand Qualifications Authority extended registration and accreditation to The Shepherd’s Bible College.” In 2007, church@riverbend and Hastings Bible Church “amalgamated into one congregation of approximately 600 people” that is now called Riverbend Bible Church. The Academic Dean of The Shepherd’s Bible College is Nigel Shailer who graduated from the Master’s College and the Master’s Seminary. Four of the six members of The Shepherd’s Bible College faculty have been trained at GCC.
The Shepherd’s Bible College (TMAI New Zealand) was founded by church@riverbend and Hastings Bible Church and these two churches have now been joined into Riverbend Bible Church. Let’s take a look at the TMAI New Zealand founding churches.
Hastings Bible Church has an online ministry at http://www.hbchurch.co.nz/. They have a “small home group” ministry. The website states that these small groups are to “create an environment where believers can practice the ‘one anothers’ of Scripture.” I have seen this reference to “one anothers of Scripture” on other church growth websites.
One of the Riverbend Bible Church elders is Phil Henderson. He has a ministry to teens which “is to equip them in the word to be reproducers.” This is church growth language. Hastings Bible Church has an Awana ministry for children with “leadership training which is second to none.” Riverbend Bible Church has a ministry called Sports Camp. Nathan Potts, who has been active in this ministry for 15 years, “has a passion to…provide leadership development for pastors and elders.”
Hastings Bible Church has a missions partnership with Samfya Bible School in Zambia. The ministry of Samfya Bible School is “the training of leaders who will make a difference in their communities as they teach God’s Word…” Hastings Bible Church wants to raise money “to support leadership development initiatives in rural areas (of Zambia)…” Hastings Bible Church is seeking funds for their Zambia mission for “leadership training,” to maintain buildings, “investigate a medical clinic,” and the caring for orphans and widows. “As little as NZ$1500 per year can make a big difference to these people in blessing their communities.”
Hastings Bible Church, as of 12/07, partnered with Bright Hope International (BHI) in Zambia. BHI has both a vision and mission statement. Their vision is “to bring hope to those earning less than $1/day.” What kind of hope? Their mission is to provide for the needs of the poorest of the poor “through personal, empowering, holistic, local church partnerships.” Their website states, “Bright Hope is not your traditional ministry. We are needs-driven.” Not driven by the Holy Spirit? The website states, “We believe the best models of international service are indigenous and holistic.” Bright Hope “partners with indigenous Christian leaders and churches who understand their community and are working to change lives in a holistic manner…” One of their ministries is called “changing kids’ lives.” A headline on their website reads, “Inspire and mobilize your congregation to serve the poor.” Bright Hope also provides “Church Leadership Development.”
One of Bright Hope’s projects is in India. The project description states, “We believe that thousands of new Christian leaders will be trained and developed over the next few decades. These leaders will return to their villages to plant local churches. They will carry out relief and development projects to help the neediest people in their communities. They will help the people of Uttar Pradesh to come to know Christ and help meet the needs of the poorest, most overlooked people in their villages. Their goal will be to help these people experience the love of Christ firsthand.” This is the social gospel. How many of these “new Christian leaders” will be saved?
On June 24, 2007 Riverbend Bible Church made an “Amalgamation Announcement” on their website regarding the merger of church@riverbend and Hastings Bible Church. Since these churches founded The Shepherd’s Bible College (TMAI New Zealand), let’s take a close look at this announcement.
One reason given by church leaders to form this “new entity” is for “leadership development.” According to the Riverbend website, “before the ‘new church’ begins, the elders plan to meet with all ministry leaders to facilitate discussions, bringing people together from both churches for dialogue concerning the future make-up of each ministry.” The article goes on to say that “everyone serving in team leadership capacities will be included in this process.” A process where elders bring diverse team leaders together to facilitate a dialogue [to consensus] refers to the dialectic process. These leaders are governing by consensus. Several times in this article the merging of these churches is referred to as a process. The article goes on to say, “the new church and vision will allow better utilization of giftedness, fellowship to flourish, leadership development to happen within the context of the small church groups that will be started.” Their vision is for leadership development to happen within the small groups that will be started. This leadership development in small groups sounds like change agent training. The article goes on to say that “the process has given us vision and hope” and they want everyone to get behind this for “the unity of the body.” The church leaders planned to “give clear vision for what the new church will look like and we are confidant that you will catch the vision with enthusiasm…” This language used by Riverbend Church leaders is transformational.
Several places on the TMAI New Zealand website state that The Shepherd’s Bible College has sought and received accreditation from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. What does the government require for this Bible College to get this accreditation? One place on the website lists “Diploma of Biblical Studies Programme Outcomes.” “Programme Outcomes” grabbed my attention since TQM in education is called outcome-based education (OBE). (Two plus two equals four, unless it’s OBE, in which case it equals whatever they can all agree upon and feel good about.)
The TMAI New Zealand literature states that character development plays an important part in the “maturing process” at The Shepherd’s Bible College. “Personal mentors” discuss this aspect of their training with students. “These relationships will be developed in part during discipleship labs where evaluation and feedback will be offered.” According to The Shepherd’s Bible College website, “Discipleship labs are required of all Diploma of Biblical Studies students. They focus on discussions relating to the development of Christian living skills and character qualities. Students meet in small groups for 2 hours weekly with a faculty member or church leader…particular emphasis is devoted to the evaluation of relationship styles…” Why must the student meet in groups and not meet alone with the Bible College leader? These “discipleship labs” don’t sound like they employ traditional teaching techniques.
The Shepherd’s Bible College (TMAI New Zealand) offers a course called “Teaching and Shepherding Small Groups” (PS603.5). The course description: “A focus on the birth, care and nurture of Christian small groups, particularly as they function in the life of the local church. Philosophy of the dynamics of small group interaction will point to the primary means of facilitating home group health: instruction in dialogue teaching. Students will be taught the dialogue teaching technique, with a view to avoid relativism given the dialogue format.”
In this course, the student will learn the primary means of “facilitating home group health” which they call “dialogue teaching technique.” This course is facilitator training. A group dialoguing to “health” in a facilitated meeting is a dialectic session. “Facilitating home group health” involves synthesizing diverse positions to a pre-determined consensus through dialogue. A “healthy group” would be a group in which all the members, being “adaptable to change,” have a willingness to compromise their standards and find common ground. An “unhealthy group” would be a group whose members hold strongly to their positions and are unwilling to compromise. These unhealthy group members would be considered divisive, intolerant and “inadaptable to change.” A “dialogue teaching technique” is dialectic or transformational teaching as opposed to a didactic or traditional teaching technique. They say this course employs this teaching technique “to avoid relativism,” but if they wanted to avoid relativism, they would employ a didactic teaching technique or a lecture technique and not a dialogue technique. As students learn to “facilitate home group health through dialogue,” they will be learning to create conditions that maximize demonic influence over the group members.
TMAI New Zealand hosts an annual “Impact Bible Conference.” The motto for this conference is “transforming lives with truth.” Notice that the motto isn’t “saving souls with truth.” Regarding this conference the TMAI website states, “Those who attend Impact” have an “amazing dynamic of time together” and are “building life-long ministry friendships.” The “leadership team behind the conference has designed it to foster mutual encouragement and like-mindedness.” The “genius of Impact is its emphasis on building mentoring relationships for lasting ministry unity.” This conference is about diversity forming relationships and unifying. It’s common for church growth orgs to say that they are out to “impact” the community. Nigel Shailer prays that “God will use The Shepherd’s Bible College to greatly impact our nation…” The Shepherd’s Bible College which has conformed to government standards through the accreditation process wants to impact the nation.
According to a TMAI newsletter (9/06), Jerry Wragg of Grace Immanuel Bible Church led the 2006 Impact Conference along with Chris Mueller of East Valley Bible Training Center. Wragg said, “Churches are bringing groups—whole leadership teams (to the conference). According to TMAI newsletter (9/05), the Impact Conference neighborhood “was transformed” as church leaders flocked to the conference. Chris Mueller taught at the 2005 conference where he brought his team and he also led the 2006 conference. Since Mr. Mueller was leading the major conference at TMAI New Zealand, let’s take a look at the church he pastored in Gilbert, Arizona (I was told he left this church in 2007).
According to the TMAI website, as of 2006, Chris Mueller was a pastor at East Valley Bible Church (EVBC) in Gilbert, Arizona. I have copies of the EVBC web pages from 2006 and it looks similar to their web pages today. Let’s take a look at EVBC.
EVBC is a large ministry and it is definitely a new paradigm, Communitarian ministry built on human relationships. They have ministries in several different areas in Arizona. They all use very similar language. For instance, “The Chandler area ministry exists to equip the believer of EVBC to minister to one another and relationally reach out to those who do not yet love Jesus Christ.” Their pastor is Jim Harper. He “deeply believes one of the key ways that God grows His Church is through the power of relationships.” “These convictions have led Jim to a highly relational approach to ministry…” All of the EVBC area ministries have home groups. Under the heading, “home groups,” it says, “Community: we need one another for growth and encouragement. People experience authentic community in many different environments and ministries at evbc. Home groups provide one place where you can begin to connect in relationships.”
EVBC has a ministry called “Band of Brothers” which “is designed to aid men in forming the dynamic relationship needed to live for the glory of God.” There is a ministry called “Women’s Circle” which is “to help you have deeper relationships, provide a place to share your life…” “Sisterhood Groups” are “small clusters of women…” The Gilbert “Women’s Circle Group” will “give women a place to relationally connect with other women in their community.” “Home groups are a great place…to work to make a difference in your community.” EVBC is clearly built on a human relationship paradigm.
An EVBC ministry called “Crosswork, meets in 3 groups during the week in a small group setting that we refer to as Discipleship. The purpose of these small group meetings is to facilitate more acute spiritual growth in each individual life, and in the group as a whole.” Notice that they only “refer” to their small groups as “discipleship.” They also have “newly married life groups.” Under the heading, “Worship Principles,” it says, “Those leading in worship are facilitators of worship, not performers.” They are saying that those who lead worship are agents of change or agents of transformation.
The EVBC children’s ministry called “Blast Xtreme” states, “Our desire is to make the invisible God, visible through volunteers who demonstrate a Christ honoring life.” EVBC has an annual event called “Heatstroke Open” where “Once a year each summer, we give men the opportunity to sweat, play golf, enjoy food, sweat, get to know other men, and sweat.”
EVBC often refers to their desire to meet the needs of the community. They have “community ministries and service projects.” EVBC “has a vision for serving their neighbors in need.” This service includes “refurbishing homes, food and clothing distribution and collection, medical/dental services and care for aliens in our community.” During their “make-a-difference day, more than 600 volunteers participated.” Among the projects accomplished that day: “More than 15 acres of desert and residential property cleaned up at Sunshine Acres.” Another of their community ministries is called “M25 Project.” Concerning this project: “We need more food to provide food boxes to those that we are interacting with and building relationships with in the community.” Under the headline, “Community Ministries,” it states, “We are learning from and modeling other CM ministries around the country who are sharing the gospel through evangelism, social action, economic development, and working for social justice. These believers are starting both churches and community development programs…” It’s clear that the EVBC Communitarian change agents are busy affecting social change in the community and that EVBC is built on a human relationship paradigm.
On a final note, EVBC uses Crown Financial Ministries (CFM) “that uses a remarkably effective ‘Small Group Bible Study’” as “an educational part of the financial ministry.” As already stated, CFM is, along with TMAI, a Counsel&Capital client. I have shown that those “Small Group Bible Studies” at CFM are dialectic sessions.
According to the EVBC office, for the last 1½ years Chris Mueller has been the senior pastor at Faith Bible Church (www.faith-bible.net) in Murietta, CA. Faith Bible Church has a webpage called “A Vision for the Future of FBC.” They also have home Bible study groups for developing relationships: “Home-based Bible Studies are one of the central, core ministries of our church. They are the primary means by which we shepherd people in our church and attending one is probably the best way to get plugged in at FBC and develop relationships with others.”
Chris Mueller, who leads conferences at TMAI New Zealand, pastors church growth, Communitarian churches built on a human relationship paradigm.
It doesn’t matter how biblical the preaching is from the pulpit or how biblical the teaching is in the TMAI centers; for if the congregation is participating in leader-led small groups and teams, where the leader is acting as a change agent, then the good seeds sown from the pulpit or from the classroom will be negated by the wiles of the leader/change agent. It won’t matter if the Apostle Paul is preaching from the pulpit if his congregation is participating in facilitator-led small groups. Those participating have learned to justify compromising sound doctrine for relationship building.
I have shown that several of the TMAI centers have a transformational, Communitarian ministry; and for the reason stated above, there is no need to look at all the TMAI centers because I will show later that ALL of the TMAI center leaders are participating in small groups in what I believe is the formation of a “Leadership Community.” Nevertheless, I would like to give just a few more brief examples of compromise at John Macarthur’s GCC TMAI centers.
TMAI MEXICO
TMAI Mexico Partners with a member of the World Council of Churches
The TMAI Mexico center is called Word of Grace Biblical Seminary. If one goes to the TMAI Mexico webpage then one will see that a pastors’ conference in El Salvador is highlighted. On Sept. 6-7, 2007, Word of Grace Biblical Seminary led a conference in El Salvador called Basics of Leadership (This conference has also been called “Basics of Biblical Leadership” and “Leadership Basics”). According to the TMAI website, “This conference was organized by the Baptist Association of El Salvador and the Word of Grace Biblical Seminary…” This means that TMAI Mexico was working in partnership or in cooperation with the Baptist Association of El Salvador. Why is this noteworthy?
The Baptist Association of El Salvador is not only a member of the Baptist World Alliance, a UN-NGO, but it is also a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC). The Baptist Association of El Salvador’s WCC membership can be seen here.
In 1993, Joseph A. Harriss wrote an article, “The Gospel According to Marx.” Within this article, Rachel Tingle, Director of London’s Christian Studies Centre, states regarding the WCC: “The council has jettisoned traditional Christian missionary activity and substituted political action designed to establish a new kind of world order.”
According to another article titled, Baptists and Liberation Theology, “In 1975, the Baptist Association of El Salvador founded a theological school in Santa Ana…which created…an openness to both sides of the war and to cooperation with Catholics for the public good.” Three decades ago, the Baptist Association of El Salvador was finding common ground with Catholics for the public good. True Christians are to separate from evil. They are not to cooperate with evil for the “public good.”
TMAI RUSSIA
TMAI Russia is a Ministry of Globeworks International’s “Globeworks in Russia”
TMAI has 3 training centers in Russia. One is called Word of Grace Bible Institute (WGBI). WGBI was founded in 1998 by Alexey Kolomiytsev. According to the TMAI website, “Third-generation Russian pastor and graduate of The Masters Seminary, Alexey Kolomiytsev began Word of Grace Bible Institute (WGBI) in 1998 in Novorossiysk, Russia.” He founded WGBI before TMAI was started.
According to Globeworks International Ministries, Word of Grace Bible School, which I believe is Word of Grace Bible Institute, is a ministry of “Globeworks in Russia.” Regarding Alexey Kolomiytsev, Globeworks International Ministries website states, “Alexey is currently GlobeWorks’ Russian Field Director supervising a growing group of national pastors and missionaries.” And according to the Globeworks website, “GlobeWorks partners with U.S. seminaries (such as Luther Rice Seminary or The Master’s Seminary) to conduct two-year Bible Training Institutes.”
Based on this information from Globeworks International Ministries (GWIM), GWIM has a partnership with the Master’s Seminary and Word of Grace Bible Institute is a Globeworks ministry and its founder, Alexey Kolomiytsev, is a Globeworks Russian Field Director. Given this partnership between Globeworks and TMAI and The Master’s Seminary, let’s take a closer look into Globeworks International.
On the Globeworks International website in “who we are” it states that “we are an international, interdenominational Christian mission.” Globeworks is a 501(c) (3) org based in Birmingham, Alabama. Under the heading, “Globeworks Strategy,” it states, “GlobeWorks is building a network of experienced, effective national leaders.” Under the heading, “Globeworks Vision,” it states, “The VISION for Globeworks is, in a word: partnering.”
On the Globeworks website under the heading, “meeting the needs,” it lists the categories of Evangelism, Discipleship and Development. Under “Development” it includes: funding for orphanages and food relief as well as “free medical and dental clinics for the poor.” Globeworks takes “medical teams into the most impoverished areas of the third world.” “We also sponsor free medical and dental clinics in impoverished cities and villages throughout Africa. In partnership with American pharmaceutical companies, we are able to take tons of free medicine to the Third World.”
Let’s now take a brief look into their international ministries. Globeworks operates in 5 different “theaters.” The “Slavic theater” is “Globeworks in Russia” and Alexey Kolomiytsev is their “Russian Field Director.” Their “Caribbean theater” is “Globeworks in Haiti.” Regarding Haiti, the website states, “GlobeWorks began to work with national pastors there in early 1999, and has continued to build up national leaders and offer help to the many poor and sick of that island nation.” They go on to say, “GlobeWorks ministry in Haiti is two-pronged: Immediate help for those at the bottom of a seemingly hopeless society in the form of orphanages and medical missions. Secondly, working for long-term change in the form of leadership training via week-long Pastor’s Training Conferences and two-year Bible degree programs. We believe the only true hope for Haiti is the preaching of the transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ.” They also state regarding Haiti: “There are few countries in the world more in need of radical social, economic and spiritual transformation.”
Their “African theater” is “Globeworks in Kenya.” Their church planter in Kenya is Dr. Steven Kabacia. “In addition to working with GWIM [Globeworks], he is also regional director for DAWN Ministries (Discipling A Whole Nation) based in Colorado.”
DAWN Ministries is a blatantly new paradigm, transformational, Communitarian org. that is listed as a Global Partner of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). Global partners of the WEA “contribute to achieve WEA’s objective.” DAWN stands for “Discipling a Whole Nation.” The DAWN vision: “Our vision is to mobilize twenty thousand apostolic leaders who will train and release an army of two million church planters to see twenty million churches planted by the year 2020.” How many will be saved in these 20 million churches? In order to accomplish this “saturation church planting,” “DAWN identifies and works with national leaders to develop a vision for discipling whole nations through whole church networks.”
DAWN has a “Leadership Development Department.” The first 3 purposes of this department are:
1. To train church leaders worldwide to be holistic and transformational in ministry
2. To develop the needed leadership competency in acting out vision
3. To foster partnership among Christian Organizations engaged in leadership or holistic ministry to work together in enabling the churches to be transformational in impact.
This leadership training involves training transformational leaders (change agents) who will catch their vision to impact the community (affect social change).
The DAWN leadership development goals are societal transformation. Their Leadership Team seeks to answer the following question: “What is the impact of churches in transforming communities?” The DAWN Latin America Leadership Development page states, “The harsh reality that challenges us is the urgent need for the integral transformation of our society.”
“The DAWN European Network (DEN) is an unusual brotherhood of leaders, based on vision, values, synergy and friendship. They are united by a common vision expressed in the DAWN strategy. We are excited at hundreds of House Churches emerging everywhere in Western Europe and long to see them welcomed as valid old-new expressions of Church. We see strategic city networks emerging – Christians of a city or region taking responsibility together for the discipling of their city – with a transforming effect on society.” A European network of leaders experiencing synergy, sharing the same vision, forming strategic networks of “House Churches” to effect transformation of society. This is transformational Communitarianism and is NOT Christianity.
The “DAWN African Team”… “is represented regionally by 4 dynamic leaders working in 36 African countries.” One of these “dynamic leaders” is Dr. Steve Kabachia—East Africa Regional Coordinator.” This is the same man who represents Globeworks International, the TMAI and Master’s Seminary partner, in Kenya. One can assume that TMAI and Master’s Seminary partner, Globeworks International, approves of DAWN Ministries since Dr. Kabachia holds ministry positions in both Globeworks International and DAWN ministry.
Globeworks International’s “Globeworks in Russia” is essentially the TMAI center in Russia called Word of Grace Bible Institute.
One of the members of the Board of Directors of Globeworks International is the Rev. Howard (Mickey) Park. He is the Emeritus Pastor of The Shades Mountain Bible Church (SMBC).
SMBC is another transformational church whose focus is on relationship building. They have a series on their “sermon audio” called “40 Days of Purpose.” This is from R Warren. The 40 days of purpose is an initial step in community transformation. SMBC has a small groups ministry for 4-12 people called Grace groups. They aren’t didactic Bible study groups. SMBC uses the term “Partnershifts” to describe the training in these Grace groups. Under “Leadership Resources,” 8 “partnershift sessions” are listed for the Grace Group members to go through. They define Partnershift: “We will be using the word partnershift to reflect the changes which must occur to have a bond [in the group] that goes beyond normal friendships.” Grace Group Session 1 asks, “What ‘shifts’ would need to take place in our group to develop a partnership that makes a difference.” Another question posed to the Grace Group members in session 1: “If you could just dream or think outside of the box for a moment, what things could you envision our group doing as partners together to have a mission that makes a difference.” To think outside the box is transformational terminology. It means to think outside of traditional ways or to think outside of God’s Word.
It looks like these “partnershift sessions” are psyco-social sessions meant to “shift” the paradigm of the group members from a traditional, obedience to authority paradigm to a transformational, “thinking outside the box” paradigm (compromising authority for relationship building and bonding). This notion of “partnershifts” is antithetical to biblical Christianity because if all group members are true Christians (without diversity) within a true Christian church, then why would anyone need to be changed or shifted?
I mention the transformational ministry, Shades Mountain Bible Church, because their pastor emeritus sits on the board of TMAI and Master’s Seminary partner, Globeworks International.
TMAI RUSSIA
TMAI Russia’s Head Pastor and Host Church are Connected to the Baptist World Alliance, a UN-NGO
Another TMAI training center in Russia is called Samara Preacher’s Institute and Theological Seminary. Samara Preacher’s Institute operates under the umbrella of Transfiguration Baptist Church. The rector of Transfiguration Church is Victor Ryaguzov. Pastor Ryaguzov is a Vice-President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (UECB). According to the Academic Dean of Samara Preacher’s Institute, Brad Klassen, “the church that hosts Samara Preachers’ Institute and Theological Seminary is a Baptist Union church (Transfiguration Baptist in Samara.)” The Baptist Union referred to is UECB. Brad Klassen goes on to state that Transfiguration Baptist Church “is registered [with the Russian government] to provide training seminars, conferences, etc.” According to Brad Klassen, “our rector [Victor Ryaguzov] (the man who had the initial vision, and who invited us to help train pastors) is part of the Baptist Union leadership.”
What we learn from the information above is that the TMAI Russia center’s host church, Transfiguration Baptist Church, is registered with the Russian government and is a member of the UECB and the church’s head, Victor Ryaguzov, is a Vice-President of UECB. Why is this noteworthy? It’s noteworthy because the UECB (Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists) is a member of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) which is a UN-NGO dedicated to the one-world, globalist, anti-Christ agenda.
Samara Preacher’s Institute (TMAI Russia) has extended its training to include an area in Russia called the city of Krasnodar. Samara Preacher’s Institute was invited to train pastors in this region in 2005 by Nicolai Sobolev who already pastored a church in that region. Pastor Sobolev is also a Vice-President of UECB, the BWA member org.
According to the TMAI website, the Slavic Gospel Association (www.sga.org) has donated books to TMAI Russia. Bill Molinari, TMAI board member, has been a member of the SGA board according to his TMAI bio. According to the SGA website, SGA is an international ministry that operates “an office staffed by nationals at the headquarters of the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists of Russia in Moscow.” The SGA website goes on to state, “Since 1997, SGA has been privileged to serve as the official representative of the Russian UECB in North America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
The title of the TMAI 12/07 newsletter is called “A Whirlwind Tour.” This tour refers to an American pastor and his 6 team members who were invited by Samara Preacher’s Institute and Theological Seminary to spend 3 weeks in Russia. The article states that Pastor Paul Tautges and his team from Immanuel Bible Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin spent 3 weeks in Russia traveling and teaching at several different locations. Their team was allowed into an English class within the Russian school system. Since the article heaps much praise on Pastor Tautges and his church, let’s take a look into Immanuel Bible Church.
Immanuel Church has divided their congregation into many teams. I count at least 9 teams. To give just a couple examples: The “Jehu Team” exists for “automobile maintenance and repair for church family.” The “Samson Team” arranges “athletic events for fellowship/evangelism, relationship building.”
Immanuel Church has a small groups fellowship called “Men of Iron.” Their purpose is to “provide small group fellowship and accountability toward the goal of spiritual growth.” Immanuel Church also links to Crown Financial Ministries, the Counsel & Capital Client. “They [Immanuel Church] have a team of Crown Ministries-trained financial counselors to help you apply stewardship principles,” says the Immanuel Church website. I have previously shown that this Crown Ministries training involves training in dialectic sessions.
Immanuel Church has a ministry called “Dinner for Six.” This ministry “is a unique fellowship open to all adults in the church for the purpose of developing closer relationships within this Christian family.” The “Dinner for Six” ministry is described as a “group of 6 people, once a month meet for a time of food, fun, and fellowship—alternating hostesses each time.” The groups “are encouraged to invite new people to join them.” Are the new people Christians? “Those who are involved [in Dinner for Six] continue to comment on how nice it is to know others in this fun and informal atmosphere.”
Another Immanuel Church ministry is called “Family Fun Nite.” This ministry is “to encourage family togetherness, Family Fun Nites are planned approximately 4x a year…activities range from bowling and gym nights to sledding and nature walks…”
TMAI-PHILIPPINES
TMAI Philippine’s Leader is a Missionary with Reach Global
TMAI-Philippines is the 16th and the latest TMAI training center. TMAI Philippines training center was established by a Master’s Seminary graduate named Sean Ransom. This training center partners with local churches.
I’ve contacted Sean Ransom and I recall being concerned that he was using church growth terminology and that he was in favor of Rick Warren’s SHAPE process. The SHAPE process is a psycho-social assessment process for determining someone’s “spiritual gifts” so that the pastor will know where to place him in ministry. Saddleback will ask regarding prospective members: what is your SHAPE for ministry? Many Christians have noted a close connection between Rick Warren’s SHAPE teaching on personality and the psychological theories of Carl Jung. (Warren-Jung Chart) 104. It’s my understanding that ministries are also utilizing assessment tests, like SHAPE, for personality profiling and for membership databasing to be shared later with the government in order to maintain their 501c3 tax exempt status.
According to his blogsite, Sean Ransom is “a missionary [in the Philippines] with Reach Global, formerly called the Evangelical Free Church of America International Mission.” He states that “his vision is to establish a training center that will specialize in expository preaching and church planting.” Let’s take a look at Reach Global.
Reach Global’s mission statement displayed at the top of their website is “Multiplying healthy churches among all people.” In church growth, a healthy church would be a church in which there are no true Christians. It would be a church where everyone is willing to compromise God for human relationships. Under the headline, “Reach Global,” are the words “Develop. Empower. Release.” Much of their first web page describes their “National Leadership Conference.” Reach Global has an “ENHANCE” division whose services designed to “make healthy missionaries” include “training,” “debriefings,” and “team building.” Under “EFCA Connect” they ask, “Do you want people to catch a vision for missions that’s contagious?” They offer a resource similar to Warren’s SHAPE process called “Strength Finder…to discover your personal strengths and those of your team.” Reach Global offers a training ministry for churches called the Global Outreach Summit. The first topic mentioned for this training conference is called “Holistic Mission Partnerships.” In Communitarian orgs, a missionary’s value doesn’t lie in what he knows, but in how he relates to others or relates to the whole. This is similar to Eastern philosophy. It’s called General Systems Theory which is a basis for the church growth movement.
Several steps must be completed before one can become a LT missionary with Reach Global. One of the steps is called the Readiness Event. “The readiness event is a week-long experience that includes psychological assessments, interviews with the ReachGlobal leadership, team dynamics exercises, self-evaluation exercises, and more.” Reach Global has a ministry called TouchGlobal. One ministry of TouchGlobal is Katrina Relief. For Katrina Relief, Touch Global is partnering with other churches “to restore the church bodies and to mobilize people from around the country to transform the communities of Southern LA and beyond.” Reach Global is not a Christian org. Its goal is community transformation. Does it surprise the reader that a Master’s Seminary graduate and a TMAI leader is a missionary for an org like Reach Global?
On Sean Ransom’s blogsite dated 7/8/06 is the headline “Master’s Men in Manila.” The blog reads, “On July 4-6 a team of men from the Master’s Seminary joined me (Sean Ransom) in Manila to teach a three day conference on expository preaching…In partnership with Greenhills Christian Fellowship’s Petra foundation…”
A team of men from the Master’s Seminary partnered with Greenhills Christian Fellowship to teach a three day conference. Is Greenhills Christian Fellowship a Christian org? No, it is another transformational, Communitarian org. Let’s take a look at Greenhills Christian Fellowship (GCF) since the “team” from The Master’s Seminary partnered with them.
Greenhills Christian Fellowship (GCF), “with over 7000 worshippers,” is in Pasig City, Philippines. It has both a mission and vision statement. Their vision: “GCF is one church reaching influencers through satellites in strategic areas worldwide.” The GCF “Edifying Ministry aims to serve and equip believers in the task of ministering to one another toward spiritual transformation and maturity.” The GCF “Crossover Ministry is an authentic community of singles who are developing into purposeful leaders and catalysts of change through a progressive ministry. We envision singles who will be changed by Christ and influence others to live transformed lives for Him.” Having a vision for developing authentic community leaders who will be catalysts of change (change agents) to transform others through a “progressive ministry” is Communitarianism and is not Christianity.
The GCF “Crossover Ministry” goes on to say, “We gather singles into one caring community, usher them into small groups for relationship-building, accountability and mentoring. We develop passionate servant-leaders who stir and move people towards spiritual maturity.” Ushering singles into small groups for relationship building and accountability is the same as Grace Church’s The Foundry and The Guild. The GCF “Equipping Ministry” aspires “to train leaders in areas of doctrine, skills and character that will prepare them to disciple people in growth groups with the intention of developing new leaders.” This “equipping ministry” sounds like it equips leaders in facilitation skills.
GCF has an “Equipping Ministry” called “Growth Groups.” The description begins: “To be big, we have to become small.” “By observation and research, big churches today have one common ministry – the ministry of small groups. As we look forward to growing a healthy congregation, we have to properly manage what we have in our groups. The GCF design for small group is the Growth Group. A Growth Group is a voluntary and intentional gathering of five to fifteen people…” The term “intentional” is a term often used in church growth ministries. “The one key ingredient we would like to nurture in our Growth Group is aggressive multiplication and discipleship.” This is about change agents transforming others to become change agents. The GCF “Equipping Ministry” aspires “to train leaders in areas of doctrine, skills, and character that will prepare them to disciple people in growth groups with the intention of developing new leaders.” This is equipping leaders in facilitation skills. One final quote: “The Makati District [ministry] is geared towards spiritually-transforming the Makati business community, nurtured by the GCF Workplace Ministry…” This is an example of how the communitarian church growth movement wants to penetrate and transform all “spheres” of society including the workplace. GCF is a large and sophisticated church growth operation. Too bad the deceived Philippinos think it’s a Christian church.
The TMAI Leadership Community
What does the future hold for the worldwide TMAI centers? I have reason to believe the centers are now being formed into a Leadership Community. The formation of Leadership Communities is part of the global transformation process promoted by the Leadership Network, a primary organization manipulating the churches into the communitarian partnership (Drucker’s 3-legged stool). What is a Leadership Community?
According to the Leadership Network, under the heading, “What is a Leadership Community,” it states, “The Leadership Community employs a process where peers work interactively through a series of gatherings, conference calls, web dialogues and planning tools to accomplish a significant leap in their personal and organizational performance.” Is there evidence that the TMAI centers have employed a process where peers work interactively to enhance their organizational performance? There is. Does this process involve a series of gatherings or conference calls? Yes, it does.
The Leadership Network (LN) is encouraging churches that have a common area of ministry to form what they call a “Leadership Community.” According to the LN, they prefer that this initial Leadership Community be comprised of about 15 churches that share a common area of ministry. For example, 15 churches that are focused on church planting may form a Church Planting Leadership Community, but a church whose focus is in the area of “healthcare ministry” wouldn’t be allowed in that community and would have to join a community of other churches focused on healthcare.
The LN states that part of the process of forming Leadership Communities involves bringing leaders from each of the churches that constitute a particular Leadership Community together for “gatherings.” The LN website states, in one particular instance (for the Church Planting Leadership Community), that the process involves 3 church leaders from each of 15 churches “gathering” 4 times over what they call an 18-month learning cycle. It looks like the number of gatherings and the length of the learning cycle may vary depending on the type of Leadership Community formed.
By the way, it may be of interest that the LN website highlights the fact that Tim Dammon, a researcher for the LN in the area of healthcare ministry, came to the LN from the Seed Company, “a collaborative partnership of several mission agencies.” It would appear, therefore, that TMAI and the Leadership Network have common ground in Len Crowley’s Counsel & Capital. Both TMAI and the LN approved Seed Company are client ministries of Counsel & Capital. Len Crowley, who was once a pastor at Grace Church and who, I recall reading, considers John Macarthur to be his pastor, and who teaches at TMAI training centers, as Managing Director of Counsel & Capital, advises both TMAI and The SEED Company, a ministry that seems to have earned the approval of the LN and whose former employee now works for the LN. Do you think there is a chance Len Crowley opposes the agenda of the LN? Do you think John Macarthur opposes the agenda of the LN?
In the jargon of the Leadership Network, TMAI might be called Training Church Leaders Leadership Community comprised of 16 participating centers. Is there evidence that leaders from each of the TMAI centers are in a process of working interactively through periodic gatherings to enhance organizational performance? There is solid proof for this.
The church growth movement wants to transform individual thinking into collective thinking and to build within all a sense of interdependence, oneness and community. By having leaders from all the TMAI centers come together periodically, these church growth goals are furthered as diversity unifies and as a collective group mind is created.
Based on the TMAI literature (newsletters going back to 2005), it looks like at least one or more leaders from each of the worldwide TMAI centers gather at least twice a year. A gathering takes place in October in New York and a gathering takes place around March of each year at the GCC Pastor’s Conference. These twice a year gatherings give the leaders of each of the TMAI centers a chance to work interactively to enhance performance.
Let me give some examples from the TMAI literature that describe these gatherings. From the 8/05 newsletter regarding the NY gathering: “This October in New York, the Academy will pursue that mission [equipping churches with godly leaders] in a unique way, by holding a special conference that will bring together one representative from all 15 of its training centers around the globe for 5 days of teaching and fellowship.” The article goes on to say, “The men will spend most of their time in small groups…becoming more dynamic instructors and learning to raise up even more effective church leaders. ‘We’re creating a network of friends,’ says Academic Director David Deuel.” Leaders gathering in small groups being formed into networks of dynamic instructors sounds like the church growth agenda. “Dynamic” is a word frequently used in church growth because it means change.
Regarding this October 2005 conference in New York, Jay Letey commenting in the 11/05 newsletter about the center’s leaders stated, “How encouraging it was for everyone to see themselves as part of a larger whole.” This is General Systems Theory (GST), the theory behind Total Quality Management. According to GST, one only has meaning as part of the collective, as just a cog in a machine. Man is complete only when part of an organization. It’s not what you know, but how you relate that matters in community building.
The TMAI March 2006 newsletter has a brief article regarding the TMAI Leadership Community’s meeting at Grace Church. The article states, “All day long, Feb. 27th, men representing the 15 Academy supported training centers gathered in one room for a unique event.” The article goes on to say, “For those 10-plus hours, more than 50 men from different hemispheres and varied cultures, found the common ground that makes TMAI so special.” Men from different hemispheres and varied cultures found common ground. This means diversity finding common ground or diversity in unity. This is the synthesis phase of the dialectic process. TMAI is using transformational language in this newsletter to describe this ministry. We also learn from this newsletter that if more than 50 men were present representing the centers, then perhaps 3 or more men from each center participated in the gathering. Clearly, these centers aren’t independent entities serving God. They must all together experience community.
Regarding this particular gathering at Grace Church, Jay Letey, employing more church growth language, said that it “provided us with a platform to share our vision…” He also said regarding this gathering, “I saw church leaders catch the Master’s Academy Vision.” As stated earlier, it was also at this Feb. 2006 gathering that John Macarthur displayed his use of transformational language.
In October 2007, the TMAI center’s leaders met again in NY (I believe they meet at an upstate NY retreat house). Regarding this meeting: “For several days, the faithful men who labor so diligently throughout the year to equip church leaders across 5 continents put their collective heads together.” “Each training center is separate, but joined through TMAI and through a common purpose.” The leaders, joined in common purpose, put their heads together in a collective manner. This implies they shared and dialogued to consensus. Submission to God seems to be out; dialogue, finding common ground within a small group, and networking seems to be in.
In October 2006, the TMAI center’s leaders met at Grace Church. Regarding this gathering Jay Letey said, “Whenever we can bring teachers from all over the world together, it becomes a melting pot of ideas. This is what we want to foster. A sense of community is one of the things that helps TMAI work so well.” Why foster (facilitate?) a melting pot of ideas or a sense of community? Why not foster faith in and dependence on God? Because to foster dependence on God would break up relationships and a sense of community?
The first headline of the first TMAI newsletter, April 2005, was “The Right Vision.” The article under the subtitle, “Historic Gathering,” states, “For the first time in the young history of TMAI, this past month there were representatives from all the training centers gathered together for 2 days of meetings. Exciting reports were given by each training center as they shared their approach to fulfilling the common vision of training church leaders to effectively and passionately teach the Word of God.”
It must be very costly for TMAI to fly their center’s leaders from around the world to NY or to Grace Church for special gatherings. How do they justify the expense? Why are they gathering? If the TMAI leadership wanted to impart teaching or knowledge to these center’s leaders (traditional teaching), then couldn’t they easily be instructed by mail or by phone? The fact that TMAI is willing to bear the expense of flying these leaders in for special gatherings where they will spend time in small groups, putting collective heads together, finding common ground, fulfilling the common vision, and building community tells me these leaders are receiving transformational teaching meant to destroy individuality and ultimately their faith in God.
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