EHS Part 2

So someone has written another book about contemplative prayer...so what? Only a small handful of people who would want to buy a book like Emotionally Healthy Spirituality will actually read it, right? Wrong! This book and it's author are very influential, as you will see.

(Since I am going to be mentioning the author, Peter Scazzero, a lot in this post, I’ll just save some typing time by calling him Mr. S)...

Let's begin with Warren Bird, the co-author of Mr. S’s first book, The Emotionally Healthy Church. Mr. Bird researches cutting edge churches and co-authors other books with new paradigm concepts about transforming, emerging, shifting, church growth, and leadership trends. His website says here that “Pete Scazzero has received widespread recognition for building a multi-racial, multi-cultural church with more than 55 nations represented in Queens, New York, one of America's most ethnically diverse neighborhoods.”

Keeping in mind that Mr. S has unfortunately become deeply involved in contemplative spirituality (see previous post), it's important to understand what else he has been spreading with this recognition. So let's take a brief look at a few of his speaking engagements in the last couple of years to see how influential he is...

Back in September of 2004 he taught 165 pastors and ministers at an Assemblies of God pastor’s convention that...
“You must drink from the contemplative tradition of silence, solitude, Sabbath and spiritual direction.” (see here)

In May of 2005 he was a speaker at the very emergent Youth Specialites National Pastors and Emergent Convention (see here). Also that year he was being recommended by the PAOC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada), see PDF here.

In June of 2005 he spoke at the Fire & Reign renewal conference and Baptist General Conference annual meeting in Denver, Colorado (see here).

That same month, according to CCN (Clergy Care Net, a ministry based out of Focus on the Family, Canada), which promotes the Scazzeros (here), there were two Pastor Spouse Gatherings hosted by FOTF in Western Canada (see picture here). Those who attended the events got a “free continental breakfast, an update from Focus on the Family and the Clergy Care Network, a free gift package for each couple, and a message from our very special guest speaker Peter Scazzero.” (-Clergy Care Network, here)
By the way, the Focus on the Family on-line book store sells the Emotionally Healthy Church workbook (here) and the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality book (here).

In February of this year Mr. S spoke at the National Pastor’s Convention with some very controversial emergent church leaders(see here). In July Mr. S spoke at Mars Hill in Michigan, promoting the Daily Office and spiritual disciplines(see here). By the way, Mars Hill promotes his book along with many other contemplative and emerging church authors(here).

Mr. S also had a speaking slot with the other CCN (Church Communication Network) programming schedule on the Emotionally Healthy Church this September, and again this November on contemplative spirituality. CCN programming is piped in to over 2500 churches via satellite.

This October(2-4), according to the current issue of the EFCA Zipline, Mr. S spoke at the Evangelical Free Church of America Western Pastors'/Leaders' Retreat at Embassy Suites at Mandalay Beach, see here.

This November 6-9 Mr. S spoke at the Christian and Missionary Alliance Western Canadian District's 2006 Prayer Retreat in Banff, Alberta, Canada. Unfortunately, since I posted them last week, the links have disappeared from both websites, but I found another one here.

Then there’s the Ethos conference coming up at the end of this month where Mr. S will be speaking with emerging church leader Erwin McManus. It may be interesting for some to note that the ministry resources for the Midwest Baptist Churches promote both Mr. S and Mr. McManus(PDF here).

It isn't surprising that Mr. S is promoted on alot of emergent church and contemplative websites, like Kairos, for instance. You can even study Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (here) on this on-line Master of Arts program from George Fox Seminary(which is heavily into spiritual formation).

Wow! Mr. S and his books are showing up everywhere! And I've probably only scratched the surface. The EHS book is even recommended for youth pastors here. His influence seems to be throughout North America to as far away as Prague in the Czech Republic. I even saw his EHC book for sale in Chinese, which fascinated me as it is pictured beside a Richard Foster book, also in Chinese.(Don’t ask me which one, it’s all Chinese to me!)

What has recently surprised me the most is that coming up next spring, Mr. S will be speaking to the pastors and wives of the BC Mennonite Brethren Conference (here)in Harrison Hot Springs, B.C., Canada. On second thought, nothing surprises me anymore. Seems like everybody is going contemplative these days.

So as you can see, this is not just another contemplative book that is sitting in the silence on the prayer shelf waiting to be bought by wanna-be-mystics. It's author has been a sought after speaker at many conferences, retreats, and seminars, teaching and influencing clergy, pastors, leaders, and lay people of every denomination and in many languages that the missing link and healthiest form of spirituality is contemplative spirituality.

What crazy books and things people are getting themselves into these days! Before you know it, everyone will be going to things like this to practice the presence of God.

{To see EHS Part 1, click HERE.}

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***UPDATE: December 2009

WARNING! TAKE HEED!

Here are some other influential Christian organizations that are now promoting and spreading Peter Scazzero's books and things:

*Steve Brown radio:
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality - Pete Scazzero on SBE
September 11th, 2009
http://stevebrownetc.com/podcasts/steve-brown-etc/emotionally-healthy-spirituality-pete-scazzero-on-sbe/

*Willow Creek:
Emotional Healthy Spirituality and Willow Creek Partner to Spread Contemplative Spirituality
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=1148

Focus on the Family (Canada) now promotes Scazzero’s Roman Catholic mysticism:
Focus on the Family Canada and Contemplative Spirituality
http://morebooksandthings.blogspot.com/2009/09/focus-on-family-canada-and.html

Rick Warren (Saddleback Church Conference):
Rick Warren leads the way over the bridge to Rome
http://muddystreams.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/rick-warren-leads-the-way-over-the-bridge-to-rome/