Luis Palau
Luis Palau (pronounced pahl-OW), was born on November 27, 1934 in Ingeniero Maschwitz, Buenos Aires, Argentina to Roman Catholic parents. He is currently living in Cedar Mill, Oregon in the United States.[1] He has five younger sisters and one stepbrother. [2] His father, a construction executive, died when Palau was 10. [3] Palau says that he was born again at the age of 12, devoting his life to Christ. He was educated in British-run boarding schools. He worked at a bank in Córdoba, and joined a missionary organization.
Luis Palau is an international evangelistic preacher who is very popular in South and Central America. He is commonly called "the Billy Graham of South America" because of his close connections with Billy Graham. Palau first heard Billy Graham on a radio broadcast from Portland, Oregon while still living in Argentina in 1950, and drew inspiration from him. He later worked for Graham as a Spanish translator and as an evangelist. In 1970, Graham contributed the seed money for Palau to start his own ministry, which he modeled after Graham's.[4]He has had crusades not only in South and Central America but in such diverse places as Aberdeen, Scotland; New Zealand; Managua, Nicaragua; and Peoria, Illinois.[5]
Palau immigrated to the United States arriving in Portland in 1960; He became a U.S. citizen in 1962. Palau attended a graduate program at Multnomah Bible College,[6] from which he graduated in 1961. His travel and tuition was paid by U.S. benefactors.[7] There he met his wife, Pat, a Beaverton kindergarten teacher, who was a fellow student.
In 1976, on the 25th anniversary of Overseas Crusades, founder Dick Hillis stepped down as president and Palau was named president. After his appointment Palau began plans for his first "crusade" in Portland in the late 1980’s seeing a void that needs to be filled in the "pagan Northwest." During the 1980’s crusades he retained a strong base of support in Latin America. Than in the late 1990’s he spent time as missionary in predominantly Muslim country of Egypt. [8]
In 1999, a write up in a Portland weekly newspapers noted that Palau had assembled an 80,000 member audience in "the nation's least-churched major city." It also noted the contrast with the previous large revival, led by an aging Graham, which drew larger numbers but not as many young people as Palau's. Media coverage of Palau's event mentioned Palau as a potential successor to Graham.[9]
In November 2005, Palau visited China, wrapping up a week-long visit by attending a Beijing church service along with U.S. President George W. Bush.[10] He launched a book venture after holding a conversation with a former government Chinese official during his trip to Beijing; Palau launched a book venture based on the transcribed work. The book, now published by Zondervan is entitled; A Friendly Dialogue Between An Atheist and a Christian.[11]
As of 2012, Palau resides in Cedar Mill, Oregon. His ministry, the Luis Palau Evangelical Association, is based in nearby Beaverton. Three of his four sons work for his ministry.
For as good as Palau’s accomplishments look on paper the big question is what kind of gospel is preached at a typical Palau' crusade? Palau's message are typically peppered with "the Bible says" this or "the Bible says" that, but Palau never quoted a Bible passage. For example: "The Bible says the Lord saves us from the pit … the pit of despair, the pit of low self-esteem ... the Bible says He redeems your life from the pit.”[12]. Palau, of course, didn't give the passage from the Bible to document that the Bible actually says God saves us from low self-esteem. He could not do so because that is not what we are saved and there is no bible passage that states that we are saved from “low self-esteem.”
The serious error in Palau's so-called gospel message was further illustrated in the Phoenix crusade video. The Phoenix message was interrupted with cut-outs to a call-in television show Palau had done earlier in 1992. One caller, a homosexual with AIDS from San Antonio, was "led to the Lord" by Palau via the repetition of an easy-believism, decisional regeneration type of prayer so common in today's crusade evangelism. Nowhere in the prayer was there the acknowledgement that the man's homosexuality was sin (although Palau told the caller that he had "failed" the God who "loved and died for him"). This could be partly because of Palau’s view on homosexuality. In the past Paul has stated that he does not view homosexuality as a sin because he feels that they are born that way and cannot help the way they were created[13]
Many times the best indicator of the "Biblical quality" of a ministry is the "quality" of those endorsing it. A crusade brochure in December of 1993 had a section entitled "What Others Are Saying." It included glowing endorsements from the ecumenical Billy Graham; charismatic demon-deliverer Evelyn Christenson; liberal charismatic preacher E.V. Hill; hyper-charismatic Jack Hayford; and Catholic sympathizer and New Age religionist Chuck Colson. [14] In a separate piece of literature, Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, shockingly endorsed Palau's 8-week Chicago Crusade scheduled for April-May, 1996[15]. Of all the endorsers of Palau and his ministry, there was not one endorsement that came from a solid biblical bible teacher.
In more recent years Luis Palau has been pushing an agenda of ecumenicism and a merge towards incorporating Roman Catholic theology and practices into his crusades and events. In events like Promise Keepers, which is a troubled movement of it's own, he has made such bold statement as calling those who follow and hold to what official Roman Catholicism teaches from the Vatican to be Christians. These types of statements are troublesome to say the least.
While Luis Palau many seem like a biblical preacher on paper and look like he is accomplishing a lot for the Kingdom of God. We must always compare their works or fruits to the bible and see how they measure up to what the world of God states. The good works on is doing is only as good as the Gospel they are promoting. When we have the wrong Gospel, we get the wrong Jesus, and the wrong set of fruits as in the case of Luis Palau.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Palau
[2] Luis Palau Jr. path to the United States: Biography". The Oregonian. November 3, 2003.
[3] Oppel, Shelby (November 3, 2003). "The Monday Profile. A man with a message – Luis Palau: 50 years of making the case for Christ" . The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
[4] Haught, Nancy (June 24, 2005). "In Portland: Evangelist Palau drew inspiration, help from Graham" . The Oregonian.
[5] New Neutralism II, p. 67
[6] "Luis Palau Jr. path to the United States: Biography". The Oregonian. November 3, 2003.
[7] Oppel, Shelby (November 3, 2003). "The Monday Profile. A man with a message – Luis Palau: 50 years of making the case for Christ" . The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
[8] ^ O'Keefe, Mark (October 28, 1998). "Egypt's Christian converts risk abuse" . The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
9] Dawdy, Philip (August 25, 1999). "Closing for Christ" . Willamette Week.
[10] Luis Palau to Meet Bush in China, Wrap Up Visit | Christianpost.com
[11] Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 - English Window to China News
[12] 10/1/93, WGN-TV October of 1992. [Jerry Colangelo, the president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns professional basketball team, was the Crusade Chairman.] Palau's message was titled, "Hope for the Stressed-Out."
[13] Dawdy, Philip (August 25, 1999). "Closing for Christ" . Willamette Week.
[14] BDM productions and promotions
[15] LEPA
Luis Palau is an international evangelistic preacher who is very popular in South and Central America. He is commonly called "the Billy Graham of South America" because of his close connections with Billy Graham. Palau first heard Billy Graham on a radio broadcast from Portland, Oregon while still living in Argentina in 1950, and drew inspiration from him. He later worked for Graham as a Spanish translator and as an evangelist. In 1970, Graham contributed the seed money for Palau to start his own ministry, which he modeled after Graham's.[4]He has had crusades not only in South and Central America but in such diverse places as Aberdeen, Scotland; New Zealand; Managua, Nicaragua; and Peoria, Illinois.[5]
Palau immigrated to the United States arriving in Portland in 1960; He became a U.S. citizen in 1962. Palau attended a graduate program at Multnomah Bible College,[6] from which he graduated in 1961. His travel and tuition was paid by U.S. benefactors.[7] There he met his wife, Pat, a Beaverton kindergarten teacher, who was a fellow student.
In 1976, on the 25th anniversary of Overseas Crusades, founder Dick Hillis stepped down as president and Palau was named president. After his appointment Palau began plans for his first "crusade" in Portland in the late 1980’s seeing a void that needs to be filled in the "pagan Northwest." During the 1980’s crusades he retained a strong base of support in Latin America. Than in the late 1990’s he spent time as missionary in predominantly Muslim country of Egypt. [8]
In 1999, a write up in a Portland weekly newspapers noted that Palau had assembled an 80,000 member audience in "the nation's least-churched major city." It also noted the contrast with the previous large revival, led by an aging Graham, which drew larger numbers but not as many young people as Palau's. Media coverage of Palau's event mentioned Palau as a potential successor to Graham.[9]
In November 2005, Palau visited China, wrapping up a week-long visit by attending a Beijing church service along with U.S. President George W. Bush.[10] He launched a book venture after holding a conversation with a former government Chinese official during his trip to Beijing; Palau launched a book venture based on the transcribed work. The book, now published by Zondervan is entitled; A Friendly Dialogue Between An Atheist and a Christian.[11]
As of 2012, Palau resides in Cedar Mill, Oregon. His ministry, the Luis Palau Evangelical Association, is based in nearby Beaverton. Three of his four sons work for his ministry.
For as good as Palau’s accomplishments look on paper the big question is what kind of gospel is preached at a typical Palau' crusade? Palau's message are typically peppered with "the Bible says" this or "the Bible says" that, but Palau never quoted a Bible passage. For example: "The Bible says the Lord saves us from the pit … the pit of despair, the pit of low self-esteem ... the Bible says He redeems your life from the pit.”[12]. Palau, of course, didn't give the passage from the Bible to document that the Bible actually says God saves us from low self-esteem. He could not do so because that is not what we are saved and there is no bible passage that states that we are saved from “low self-esteem.”
The serious error in Palau's so-called gospel message was further illustrated in the Phoenix crusade video. The Phoenix message was interrupted with cut-outs to a call-in television show Palau had done earlier in 1992. One caller, a homosexual with AIDS from San Antonio, was "led to the Lord" by Palau via the repetition of an easy-believism, decisional regeneration type of prayer so common in today's crusade evangelism. Nowhere in the prayer was there the acknowledgement that the man's homosexuality was sin (although Palau told the caller that he had "failed" the God who "loved and died for him"). This could be partly because of Palau’s view on homosexuality. In the past Paul has stated that he does not view homosexuality as a sin because he feels that they are born that way and cannot help the way they were created[13]
Many times the best indicator of the "Biblical quality" of a ministry is the "quality" of those endorsing it. A crusade brochure in December of 1993 had a section entitled "What Others Are Saying." It included glowing endorsements from the ecumenical Billy Graham; charismatic demon-deliverer Evelyn Christenson; liberal charismatic preacher E.V. Hill; hyper-charismatic Jack Hayford; and Catholic sympathizer and New Age religionist Chuck Colson. [14] In a separate piece of literature, Joseph Stowell, president of Moody Bible Institute, shockingly endorsed Palau's 8-week Chicago Crusade scheduled for April-May, 1996[15]. Of all the endorsers of Palau and his ministry, there was not one endorsement that came from a solid biblical bible teacher.
In more recent years Luis Palau has been pushing an agenda of ecumenicism and a merge towards incorporating Roman Catholic theology and practices into his crusades and events. In events like Promise Keepers, which is a troubled movement of it's own, he has made such bold statement as calling those who follow and hold to what official Roman Catholicism teaches from the Vatican to be Christians. These types of statements are troublesome to say the least.
While Luis Palau many seem like a biblical preacher on paper and look like he is accomplishing a lot for the Kingdom of God. We must always compare their works or fruits to the bible and see how they measure up to what the world of God states. The good works on is doing is only as good as the Gospel they are promoting. When we have the wrong Gospel, we get the wrong Jesus, and the wrong set of fruits as in the case of Luis Palau.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Palau
[2] Luis Palau Jr. path to the United States: Biography". The Oregonian. November 3, 2003.
[3] Oppel, Shelby (November 3, 2003). "The Monday Profile. A man with a message – Luis Palau: 50 years of making the case for Christ" . The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
[4] Haught, Nancy (June 24, 2005). "In Portland: Evangelist Palau drew inspiration, help from Graham" . The Oregonian.
[5] New Neutralism II, p. 67
[6] "Luis Palau Jr. path to the United States: Biography". The Oregonian. November 3, 2003.
[7] Oppel, Shelby (November 3, 2003). "The Monday Profile. A man with a message – Luis Palau: 50 years of making the case for Christ" . The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-03-28.
[8] ^ O'Keefe, Mark (October 28, 1998). "Egypt's Christian converts risk abuse" . The Oregonian. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
9] Dawdy, Philip (August 25, 1999). "Closing for Christ" . Willamette Week.
[10] Luis Palau to Meet Bush in China, Wrap Up Visit | Christianpost.com
[11] Shanghai Daily | 上海日报 - English Window to China News
[12] 10/1/93, WGN-TV October of 1992. [Jerry Colangelo, the president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns professional basketball team, was the Crusade Chairman.] Palau's message was titled, "Hope for the Stressed-Out."
[13] Dawdy, Philip (August 25, 1999). "Closing for Christ" . Willamette Week.
[14] BDM productions and promotions
[15] LEPA
