You could call it the next step in Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Church. A Church of England bishop has announced plans to adopt secular songs into his services, in an effort to boost numbers. The congregation will sing along to some of Bono's songs, such as "Perfect Day" and "Mysterious Ways", songs which have "spiritual" connotations, but with no mention of God, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the blood, the cross or anything else that might offend people. The meeting will be recorded by the BBC for broadcasting later in the year. The bishop hopes that this new style of "worship" will spread across the United Kingdom...

Quote: "Despite his rock star antics, including swearing on live television, Bono is regarded as a Christian icon by many who point to the spiritual content of his music. His high-profile anti-poverty campaigns with fellow Irish musician Bob Geldof have elevated him to saintly status in some circles. But while Bono is open about his Christian influences, he has also clashed with Church leaders over issues such as Aids. Traditionalists who fear the Church is diluting its message to attract the young will be dismayed at its willingness to embrace Bono. Such doubts are not shared by the Bishop of Grantham, the Rt Rev Timothy Ellis, who is organising the U2-charist in St Swithin's church in Lincoln in May. "Bono and Bob Geldof are very human, but they have demonstrated that they believe there is sanctity to life that has to be protected," he said. "If that makes them saints, then I would go along with that."

From what I recall it was Bob Geldof who told British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President Bush to increase their aid to Africa, as it was going to cost them "f***-all". Another friend of mine from Canada also sent me pictures Bono doing the sign of the devil at a concert (pictured left). So much for "saints". And this is the man whom the Church of England credits with creating spiritual music?

Quote: "The service will focus on the Millennium Development Goals to reduce world poverty, a cause close to Bono's heart.

Bob Geldof and Bono champion the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to reduce poverty on the African continent. An organization I used to help out in, Wycliffe Associates, also supported the Make Poverty History campaign in their magazine. Ending world poverty may be a noble ambition, but in my view a Christian organization should not support a secular project such as this, because even though our aims may be the same - ending poverty and suffering in the third world - the end goals are very different. One of the Millennium Development Goals aims is to increase sex-education in Africa, in an effort to halt the spread of aids. Sounds innocent enough, but the sex education supported by the UN will see abortion on demand legalized. The Millennium Development Goals see an expanding population as a cause of poverty in Africa, and any efforts to reduce the growth, including issuing condoms to men in an already sexually permissive culture and abortions for women, are being considered.

Quote: ""The MDGs are going to be difficult or impossible to attain without a levelling out of population growth" Richard Ottaway MP It has spent six months taking evidence from expert witnesses for the report, Population Growth - Its Impact on the MDGs. "No country has ever raised itself out of poverty without stabilising population growth," said the group's vice-chairman, Richard Ottaway MP, at a seminar on population issues this week. "And the MDGs are going to be difficult or impossible to attain without a levelling out of population growth in developing countries."

I sent Wycliffe an email about this, but unfortunately the warning fell on deaf ears. As Christians, we need to be so careful with what we get involved in.

2nd Corinthians 11:13-15 
For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

Source Telegraph, Guardian, BBC