In an interview with Christianity Today, Luis Palau spoke very highly about his friend Jorge Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church. In that interview with Christianity Today he described Pope Francis as a “very Bible centered man” and a red flag went up in my spirit. I speak as a former Roman Catholic, who is very aware of the demonic and false teachings of the Roman Catholic church. Now I know that Luis Palau has been working hand in hand with the Roman Catholic Church, at his evangelistic crusades, for decades now, BUT nothing can top what Luis Palau did in Omaha, Nebraska back in 2007. This is truly a SIGN that we are living in a day of great APOSTASY.
Before the Luis Palau crusade in Omaha, Nebraska in 2007, the Palau crusade workers sought out the Roman Catholic church to become involved with them. The Palau event organizers even welcomed the idea of the Catholic Priests hearing confessions at that event, and were open to the possibility of having a “Catholic tent” set up to explain the Catholic faith! Here is an excerpt from that article by Erik Raymond:
This weekend an interesting article appeared in The Catholic Voice (CV), a Catholic based Omaha newspaper. The article outlined the admittedly strange partnership between the Omaha Catholic Diocese and the Luis Palau organizers. Archbishop Elden Francis Curtis endorsed the event, this following a meeting between local priests who had spent time with leaders within Palau’s organization.
According to CV, “Father Ryan Lewis, vice chancellor and ecumenical officer for the archdiocese, said local organizers approached the archdiocese about including Catholics at the event, which has never been endorsed by a bishop until now. The festival organizers were open to Catholic input, he said.”
This is interesting. The organizers of the event approached Roman Catholics about participation.
Father Ryan Lewis continues, “They said they would do whatever they needed to do to formulate this festival in such a way that Catholics could participate.”
How much participation are we looking at here? In other words, how Catholic will Palau let this ‘evangelistic’ crusade go?
According to CV, “As of now, festival planners have welcomed the idea of allowing local archdiocesan priests to hear confessions at the event, as well as the possibility of having a Catholic tent that would provide information on the Catholic faith.” [Luis Palau’s Partnership with Roman Catholics at the Omaha Crusade, from The Ordinary Pastor, by Erik Raymond, May 29, 2007]
If that was not enough, I found out that the Roman Catholic Archbishop spoke at that event, and that Catholic Rosary Beads were also handed out at that event!
“Palau’s July 2007 Festival in Omaha, Nebraska, was endorsed by Catholic Archbishop Elden Curtiss. Not only did the Catholic archbishop address the crowd personally, but the Catholics were allowed to put up a tent at the entrance to the venue to distribute rosaries and Catholic material and priests greeted the people as they entered the crusade grounds (Catholic Voice, Archdiocese of Omaha, Aug. 10, 2007). Each participant filled out a card indicating religions background, and all of the cards stating Catholic were given to the Catholic churches for follow up (Catholic Voice, June 8, 2007). [Way of Life Literature, Luis Palau and Rome, May 1, 2013, by David Cloud]
The Luis Palau crusades operate in a similar fashion to the Billy Graham crusades who have been working hand in hand with Rome for many decades. Is it not incredible that they were giving out rosary beads at a so called Christian Evangelistic event? The Roman Catholics who made a “decision” were then sent back to their Roman Catholic churches!
Do You Think You Heard It All Yet?
Sorry but you need to read about ex-Catholic Peter Smagacz, who was a one-man protest at the Luis Palau event, and eventually escorted OFF the grounds!
John Malone wrote the following at Biblestudy.net:
“Peter Smagacz is 58 years old and glad to have left the Roman Catholic Church. He left it 35 years ago. I read an article sent to me that was published on Omaha’s daily newspaper, the Omaha World Herald, that described Smagacz’ one-man “protest” at a Luis Palau “Heartland Festival” in Omaha. The event was said to have attracted 105,000 visitors, a record. I suppose, hyperbole being what it is, the crowd was likely half that size, but still large.
Palau is known among Bible believers to be “soft on Romanism,” and far too ecumenical to be Biblically sound. Many of us consider that ministries like Palau’s yoke themselves with unbelievers, contrary to Bible principles set forth in 2 Corinthians 6:14, and Revelation 18:4. The more skeptical among us – call us jaded – know that men like Palau don’t become prominent in this country without somehow accepting that Roman Catholics are essentially Christian.
Smagacz passed out a tract and his personal testimony. That, along with his sign that read, “Why I left the Catholic Church,” was his “protest.” He said for the most part he was well received. He was harassed by a Roman Catholic priest, but that fellow was made to stop. Most people gladly received his offer of his literature, but some Catholics cared to argue with him about John 6, perhaps the only Scripture a Roman Catholic takes literally, concerning eating the Jesus’ flesh and drinking His blood.
Organizers of the Palau event had Smagacz moved off the event grounds. These same organizers arranged for a large Roman Catholic tent on the premises where RC literature was freely passed out, rosaries handed out (or sold, I do not know which), and Roman Catholic (RC) priests were “hearing confessions” throughout both days. The tent with confessions being heard was a requirement by the RCO locally in order to gain their “support.”
Eldon Curtiss, the archbishop of the Omaha Roman Catholic Archdiocese, was invited to open – or close – the “festival” in prayer. [biblestudy.net July 25, 2007 by John Malone]
That my dear friends is the blatant evidence of modern-day APOSTASY! Is it not incredible that a man who got genuinely SAVED by the POWER of the TRUE GOSPEL of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16-17, 5:6-9), was escorted OFF the grounds of Luis Palau’s crusade! That should put a red flag up in your spirit IF you are a true born-again believer in Jesus Christ. The FALSE Church of Rome was permitted to hand out their literature, and Rosary beads, while Pete Smagacz along with his TRUE Christian testimony was asked to leave. To be honest with you, that is what happened in the book of Acts, when people such as the Jewish apostle Paul preached the true gospel. Paul was persecuted because he did not DANCE with the wolves anymore, and he paid a severe price for his biblical stand. Compare the absolute wicked compromise of the Luis Palau organizers, with the bold evangelistic witness of the late Keith Green. Here is an excerpt from his classic Catholic Chronicles:
“It is obvious by even this brief glimpse into the doctrines of mortal and venial sins, confession, penance, and purgatory, that the Roman Catholic Church has constructed one of the most unbiblical doctrinal systems that has ever been considered “Christian”. The fear, anguish, and religious bondage that such a system of “reward and punishment” creates, has tormented millions of lives for centuries, and continues to prey on those who are ignorant of the biblical way of salvation.
To merely call such a system “a cult”, would be to throw it into the vast category of religions and quasi-religions that are currently making the rounds of our college campuses and city streets, snatching up many an unsuspecting youth. No, the Roman Church is not a cult. It’s an empire!
With its own ruler, its own laws, and its own subjects! The empire has no borders, it encompasses the globe with its eye on every person who does not vow allegiance. It calls the members of other faiths “separated brethren” (The term used by Vatican II to describe the members of Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Protestant churches.) and has as its goal the eventual bringing together of everyone under its flag.
I know that many will not be convinced or moved by this article (or any of the others) to make such a conclusion. They are impressed by what they’ve heard about recent stirrings among the Catholics in the “charismatic renewal”. Many evangelicals (especially Charismatics) have been thrilled by the reports of Catholics speaking in tongues, dancing in the Spirit, having nights of joy and praise, even attending “charismatic masses”.
Mouths that used to speak out boldly against the Church of Rome have been quieted by the times. It no longer is in vogue to speak of the pope as “the antichrist” (Although the following people unhesitatingly did: Martin Luther, John Bunyan, John Huss, John Wycliffe, John Calvin, William Tyndale, John Knox, Thomas Bacon, John Wesley, Samuel Cooper, John Cotton, and Jonathan Edwards.) or the Catholic Church as the “whore of Babylon”. Now Protestants unwittingly believe that “our differences are not so great”. Ah, that is just what She needs us to think!
I’ve never completely understood why God led me to write these articles. But it becomes more clear with each day of study, and each page of research. Never has something so black and wicked, gotten away with appearing so holy and mysteriously beautiful . . . for so long!” (Keith Green-The Catholic Chronicles)
Here is what another bold witness by the name of Leonard Ravenhill said in his book, “Why Revival Tarries.”
“Evangelists today are wide-eyed to the might of Communism, but tight lipped at the menace of Romanism. America would shake from coast to coast in twenty-four hours if some preacher, anointed with the Holy Ghost, gave the Roman Catholic Church a broadside! We stir national interest against the cruel, half-civilized Mau Mau (wicked enough), but powwow with, and pander to, the Roman Catholic Church! These priests who dope men’s souls, these idolatrous “masses,” these Calvary eclipsing prayers to Mary, these miserable millions cheated in life and in death by the greatest forgery Lucifer ever made.” (Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill, Bethany House Publishers, 1988, Copyright 1959)
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9)