Practical Steps and Suggestions for Leaders

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Freemasonry

Freemasonry on the Front Burner

Incompatible with Christ

Freemasonry at a Glance

Compromise begins in the Blue Lodge

Societies in the Church

Other Secret Societies

Is it True...

Understanding Masonic Arguments

John Quincy Adams and Freemasonry

Practical Steps and Suggestions for Leaders

Get Covered

It is vitally important to develop a team of intercessors around you and the church. If you do not have a team in place, develop one among trusted friends. If you cannot find them, ask God to raise them now. These intercessors should pray for God’s covering for you and your family, your leadership, and the church. We remember victory occurred while the arms of Moses were supported. Renewal will move forward as you look to Jesus in prayer.

Get Informed

It is important to know the basics about Freemasonry and Secret Societies. For personal study, reading solid works on the subject is indispensable. The books by Ron Campbell and John Ankenberg are among the best. When doing research on the Internet one must recognize that cyber-material has often not had the benefit of peer review. Some material may be erroneous. There is a difference between certainty, probability, and possibility. My encouragement is to talk only about certainties. Certainties have written documentation in the writings of the Lodge or its members. Members of secret societies look for simple errors that will allow them to discount what people are saying. In developing material to share, it is therefore imperative to use their own material. Freemasons and others are aware of material written against their organization, and are taught to dismiss these books very quickly.

Get Authority on Board

Very few of us minister without spiritual covering of some nature. If we do not have spiritual covering, now is a good time to look for it! For the majority with such covering, it is important to bring them on board as quickly as possible. As God uses us in the oversight of the flock under our care, so also our spiritual authority cares for us. Our spiritual leaders are uniquely placed as gatekeepers and shepherds of our lives. God hears them when they pray and counsel! Let God use them to keep us accountable as we walk through the journey toward spiritual health together.

Get Networked

Don’t try this alone! Many of us who have walked through this have the benefit of a network of friendships. I remember the encouragement of a retired pastor in New England who happened to be a mighty prayer warrior. Many desperate calls went North to New England! Today, God continues to raise up networks of experienced people who can give support and encouragement to those starting this journey.

Get Your Leadership on Board

It is critical to get your leadership on board in a position of understanding the spiritual dynamics involved with the issue. This may take longer than any other step you are taking. It cannot be overlooked. It cannot be taken for granted. Begin by asking God for your first contacts. They should be your most trusted leaders. If you cannot approach your leaders, find your most trusted support in the congregation. Meet them individually and pray. The more unified your leadership, the greater ability they will have to give guidance to the congregation. If some of your elected leaders are members of secret societies, the issue becomes more complex. Educating key leaders is imperative. You will want them to have the best material available.

Count the Cost with Your Leaders

There is a cost to following Jesus. There is a cost to reducing spiritual compromise in your church. I hope that you will be able to reach your friends with a path for eventual exit from secret societies. Many members of Secret Societies, however, would rather leave the church than leave the Lodge. If your leadership is steady and unified, any attempt to oust you first will be short lived. You will be entering a time of instability, which should lead to spiritual health. During that time, you may lose one or more families associated with the Lodge. They may threaten you. They may try and disrupt the body by attempting to influence as many people outside the leadership loop as possible. They will generally try to influence with an appeal to emotions, rather than with facts. Often they skirt the issue of spiritual compromise with statements such as “how can they be so unloving?”

Strange alliances may emerge

In the 19th century, President Blanchard of Wheaton College once stated that viewing one secret ritual is like viewing them all. They are very similar indeed. You may find that Lodge members in your church may attempt to contact members of other Secret Societies in your church. Our greatest opposition was not from the primary lodge, but the associated organizations also represented in the church. My pastoral mentor in New England told me to count the cost in this. For every lodge family in your church, you may lose five additional families. They are either in allied organizations, or people sympathetic to those who are. Some church members may be approached with an appeal to consider their relative who was once in a secret society.

Visit lodge members, and not by yourself

We sensed the need to contact each lodge family, if possible, and share primary material with them. Some desired to meet, others claimed to be too busy. We attempted to meet with each individual, with his spouse present. We explained our love for them, and that our problem was not with them, but with the organization that was religiously syncretistic in nature. What you say may be shared with all other lodge members. Do not go by yourself. Do not get lured into an argument.

Share material in a clear manner

Begin the meeting with prayer for God’s anointing. Be clear, with initial statements affirming your love and support for them as individuals. Remember to place emphasis on materials contrary to scripture from their own documents, rather than the works of antagonists. Remember, they will naturally believe you are there to attack them. You are not, you are there to help them. Share primary lodge material in a clear manner. This is their own writing. If it is incompatible with Christianity, there will be no place to turn. Books written by Christians to help initiates understand the lodge can also be shared, but as secondary material. It is important to provide printed copies of material to those you are visiting. What you are sharing in print may only be vaguely remembered from dramas and oaths recited years earlier.

Consider Memories

It is important for Christian leaders to understand that memories will always play a pivotal role in how people respond to information regarding secret societies. Many individuals today have had relatives who were involved. Some of these memories may be good, and others not as nurturing.

Individuals often jump to the conclusion that sharing information about secret societies will be a direct attack upon the memory of a loved one. The relative in question was involved in the secret society and often highlighted the charitable and relational aspects of it. Possibly they were only involved for the business connections it provided. They were not aware of the esoteric nature of the ritual.

Others may have different, and troubling, memories related to a relative. These memories are now on the surface. Still others may suddenly remember that they were involved in a children’s organization related to Masonry, and the memories were not good. These have now been rekindled as a result of the Lord’s work in a church.

These responses can be expected, and many times are part of the Holy Spirit’s work within lives.

We desire to affirm people’s relatives, yet must continue to share ways the organization failed to give them the truth of the esoteric nature of some rituals. People with troubled memories can use this time to receive deliverance and freedom from generational curses through a prayer team. People who suddenly remember involvement can be led in prayers of forgiveness and love from Jesus.

It is clear that many good people over the decades found themselves in secret societies for a variety of reasons. Our desire is to inform the present generation, yet affirm the positive memories of past generations. Remember that it can be difficult to consider the problems related with Secret Societies and dovetail it with the fond memories of departed family. Our choice is to help people affirm the memory of the loved one. Our choice is to help them understand the organization that claimed the allegiance of the loved one probably chose not to explain the esoteric nature of its rituals to them.

Expect spiritual warfare

The enemy does not want to give up hard fought ground in lives, or in the church. We mentioned the spirit of fear as being a primary manifestation in leader’s lives. It just seems to descend, and will leave as quickly as it came. In the church, many speak of a spirit of divisiveness and control as primary manifestations when the spirit of Secret Societies is present. Remember, warfare often happens when we are not expecting it, and from an angle of attack we do not expect.

Be courageous

Some of the most wonderful words come from the commissioning of Joshua, as he was to lead people to inherit the land. Be courageous was the call. Great words. It is not a time to be timid, but a time to be bold for God. God will not leave you alone. Remember God promised to Joshua that no man will be able to stand against all the days of his life. Jesus said He will never leave us alone. He just won’t.

“Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.” Exodus 23:13

Eyes on Jesus, not the Waves

The blessings are enormous. When we ask Jesus to help us confront the spirit of secret societies in a church, the ministry of the Holy Spirit begins to flourish. Any spirit of fear and divisiveness will be curtailed. The spirit of the Lodge which seems to inoculate an individual against the gospel begins to vanish.

A number of pastors with the spirit of the Lodge in their churches speak of the wall which comes against the anointing of God. The wall falls as the Spirit of God is allowed to flourish in a congregation. We cannot forget that five of the seven letters to the Revelation churches concern themselves with the issues of fertility religions and the occult. Familiarize yourself with the stories of Balak and Balaam as referred to in those letters.

God challenges us not to have the names of foreign gods before us. Freemasonry and certain secret societies rekindle them and seem to give them honor. It grieves the Spirit of God.

We define the secret societies of concern as those with roots and practices that are concurrent or promote the mystery and fertility religions revolving around pagan deities. They combine facets of these practices with elements of Gnosticism and sprinkle Christian verses or stories to make them palatable to a western, Christian culture.

Getting Informed

My reading on the subject takes three forms. These include Christian books, Masonic books, and general history books. I will attempt to give you recommendations in each category to get you started.

Christian Books

My favorite authors in the Christian world are John Ankenberg and Ron Campbell. John Ankenberg’s book, The Secret Teachings of the Masonic Lodge, approaches the topic systematically. It is sound scholarship and will introduce the reader to fundamental, theological problems with Freemasonry for the Christian.

Masonic Books

These books are not as hard to locate as one may think. Find Masonic books in used bookstores as well as in antique shops. I will also use online auctions to secure rare works I am unable to find in a local store. Some books to keep a lookout for are:

Masonic Bible

Find one with plenty of explanations, some describe esoteric degrees.

Morals and Dogmas

This book by Albert Pike is the systematic theology of Scottish Rite Freemasonry. Most Masons have not taken the time to read it fully.

Rituals

Rituals of associated organizations can be purchased, and well worth the effort. Look for the Grange, Eastern Star, Elks, as well as others.

Monitors

Monitors are instruction books for degree work in Freemasonry. There are national and state monitors. Some describe the Blue Lodge; others will describe aspects of the Scottish and York Rites.

Duncan’s Monitor

This little book describes the York Rite, an alternate ladder in the higher degrees. It will state the long-lost name of God as Jabulon- a combination of Jehovah, Baal, and On. Look for it under the Royal Arch Degree.

Historical Works

In reading through American history, you will soon find that the Masonic roots are seemingly everywhere. As you read historical works from the Revolutionary period, you will begin to understand the founding generation in a way you never saw it before. One excellent work is The Revolutionary Brotherhood, by Steven Bullock.

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