The Rock Music Connection

Because the Charismatics like their religion wild, rock music has become a part of the Promise Keepers' stadium rallies.

The Promise Keepers Men's Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 11-12, 1996, was one of 22 such conferences that year.

The Liberty Bowl stadium was filled almost to capacity. More than 52,000 registered in advance at $60 per person. That is nearly a third of a million dollars to Promise Keepers for just one of the 22 rallies!

Yet that is only the income from the advance registration tickets! The fee for those paying on the day of the conference was $70 per person, and Promise Keepers announced that it was expecting more than $3 million would be generated that weekend through ticket sales alone. Add to that all the souvenir items and food sold.

The assembled men heard ecumenical speakers, pastors of a variety of denominations, youth speakers, and trained counselors, as well as Dennis Agajanian's band and the "Maranatha! Promise" Band. The "Youth Break Out" speaker was Miles McPherson.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper commented on the Friday night session, that "the stage, with its lights and television screens and towering stacks of speakers, looked fit for a modern-day rock concert."

And when the music started, it sounded like a modern rock concert! That was because of the type of music played. The sound is sometimes nearly deafening. But the men cheer and love it, and it pushes up their emotions for the "get rid of doctrines" and "unite the churches" messages which follow.

Because the leadership of Promise Keepers is closely allied with the Pentecostals, those who attend their rallies learn to like the bouncy Celebration church style, and the hyper-emotionalism of the charismatics.

A growing trend, since Amy Grant "crossed over" to secular markets, is to gradually intersperse secular rock songs with "religious rock" (which was already terrible enough). For example, at one Promise Keepers' stadium rally, Dennis Agajanian, a rock guitarist and singer from California, arrived complete with his drums and bass, sway and swivel,--even when presenting old hymns like Nothing but the Blood, and There is a Fountain. One would think he was an Elvis impersonator. The whole stadium at times seemed to shake with vibration and the shouts and screams of men, as the singer, with contorted face and frenzied motions, appeared demon-like in appearance. In order to avoid finger-pointing at the fact they are Charismatic preachers, these men, in their sermons and books, vilify anyone who would speak against any religious practice or denomination.

"Come on, you Bible-believing Baptists, how do you really feel about those holy-rolling charismatics (and vice versa)? And you faithful Anglicans, what do you think about those ambiguous house churches? We need not to ask Pentecostals the questions because, as we all know, they're the only ones going to heaven anyway, unless, of course, you discuss this with a Nazarene. . Now how about you traditional Lutherans and Presbyterians: Have you invited any liberal Methodists over for dinner lately? Dare I mention the Catholics? and you passionate Evangelicals, come on and tell us the real story about those flamboyant Assemblies of God pastors. . 'We are so filled with opinion, criticism, debate, legalism and harsh judgments that we are unlikely to hear a word from God even if He shouted it from heaven."-James Ryle, A Hippo in the Garden, pp. 33-34.

This is what Ryle thinks about sound doctrine, and it is parroted by the staff and speakers of Promise Keepers. The charismatic prophetic crowd mocks those who would believe something and stand in defense of it.

According to them, Christians are no longer to contend for the faith delivered unto them; they are to ignore the command given through Timothy to allow "no other doctrine" but that given them of God (1 Timothy 1:3).

"Now, who is right and who Is wrong;? That is not the question we are to concern ourselves over. The question before us always is, 'Do you love the Lord with all your heart, and your neighbor as yourself?' for according to Jesus, this is the sum of the law and the prophets. Love Is patient and kind; it does not exalt itself, nor does it push its own preferences. . Denominations are at war with each other because they are not walking in love." -James Ryle, A Dream Come True, p. 179.

Ryle was explaining his "windmill vision" when he wrote the above words. It is so important, he says, he has "shared this Vision with pastors and church leaders across the nation" (op. cit., p. 178).

He said he saw a windmill in the middle of a field and "the Holy Spirit said" to him, "This is a parable showing the nine elements that are essential for the church to fulfill its purpose in the world." The first element is that the church must be rooted and grounded in love. Because they place doctrine first, "this is why the Holy Spirit does not move powerfully in some churches. The lack of love would cause the church to collapse under the weight of God's presence." Therefore, according to Ryle, the Second Advent cannot occur until we homogenize all our doctrines into one.

We can surely agree that, when the churches decide that only one teaching matters Sunday-keeping will be that teaching-and then the coming of the wicked one in signs and wonders will occur.

"The danger that threatens our churches is that new and strange things will be brought in, things that confuse the minds of the people, and give them no strength, at the very time when they most need strength in spiritual things. Clear discernment is needed that things new and strange shall not be laid alongside of truth as a part of the burden of the message to be given at this time. The very messages we have been giving to the world are to be made prominent." - 2 Selected Messages, 14