Glenn Beck receiving a “mantle” from Chuck Pierce. Photo credit Christian News Net
(Marsha West – Christian Research Network) Chuck Pierce claims he’s a “prophet” in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) or what many refer to as Dominionism. Because of Pierce’s elevated status, he recently bestowed a “new mantle for the future” on Glenn Beck, popular TV/radio host, author and speaker. “Prophet” Pierce presented the mantle to Beck at Global Spheres Center in Corinth, Texas as Mrs. Beck looked on.
Beck’s fans often hear him boast that he’s a Christian. But let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. Substantiation for this statement, if for no other reason, lies in the fact that he’s a proud member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). When former Mormon Ed Decker of Saints Alive got wind of Beck’s mantle ceremony, he remarked:
For Chuck Pierce to claim that he was instructed of God to lay hands and [bestow] a holy mantle … for a man who claims a false priesthood, who sits under an exalted man-god who lives on a planet near the great star Kolob with his many goddess wives—that claim is of the father of lies, coming from the mouth of a very false prophet.
This is Mormon theology in a nutshell, brethren. And no true Mormon will deny it. (I don’t have the space to address specific concerns on Mormon theology so I’m providing a link for those who wish to learn more.) My point is that by choosing someone who’s not a Christian, Chuck Pierce had to have received his “mantle bestowing instructions” from someone other than God, if he got them at all. In his books, Beck clearly lays out his beliefs. He’s not a cookie cutter Mormon by any stretch. In fact, the beliefs he holds are a blend of Mormonism, New Age, New Thought, and occult! Which begs the question: If Chuck Pierce is a true prophet of God, how could he have missed this?
Before I expand on the mantle presentation and its significance, I must point out that many people believe that the NAR is a theological cult even though its movers and shakers (I mean this quite literally) insist that it’s not.
So, what exactly is a cult? Noted Bible scholar and founder of the Christian Research Institute, Walter Martin, described the cult of liberalism thusly:
It is a cult because it follows every outlined structure of cultism; its own revelations; its own gurus, and its denial–systematically–of all sound systematic Christian theology. It is a cult because it passes its leadership on to the next group that takes over–either modifying, expanding or contracting–the same heresies; dressing them up in different language, and passing them on. It is theologically corrupt because it is bibliologically corrupt; it denies the authority of Scripture, it ruins its own theology. And it ends in immorality; because the only way you could have gotten to this homosexual, morally relativistic garbage–which is today in our denominational structures–is if the leadership of those denominations denied the authority of the Scriptures and Jesus Christ as Lord. (Walter Martin, The Cult of Liberalism, CD Rom, 1985)
Dr. Martin had strong opinions on the cults and the occult. In the above discussion he expressed his concern over liberalism, which had infiltrated the visible Church. Some of the NAR’s teaching fits Dr. Martin’s definition. Besides denying the authority of Scripture and relying on new revelations, NAR promotes Dominionism. Three quick examples: 1) Satan usurped man’s dominion over the earth through the temptation of Adam and Eve; 2) The Church is God’s instrument to take dominion back from Satan; 3) Jesus cannot or will not return until the Church has taken dominion by gaining control of the earth’s governmental and social institutions. (Source)
Other unbiblical beliefs are:
God is restoring the lost offices of church governance, namely the offices of Prophet and Apostle.
Leading figures in this seemingly loosely organized movement claim that these prophets and apostles alone have the power and authority to execute God’s plans and purposes on earth. They believe they are laying the foundation for a global church, governed by them. (Source)
So now that you understand a bit about the NAR, I’ll move on to the mantle ceremony.
It’s not often we’re given the opportunity to witness a couple of high ranking false prophets, one NAR the other LDS, sharing a stage together …except at the “Reclaim America” events. Because Beck was involved, the ceremony caught the attention of the press and the news quickly spread throughout the blogosphere. Not surprisingly, there were NAR folk who were not happy when they learned that their second in command (for now C. Peter Wagner is the self-professed “Presiding Apostle”) had mantled a Mormon. What’s the significance of receiving a “mantle”?:
Anyone who is deeply involved in the NAR understands what it means when a prophet presents a “mantle” to someone. This practice is an allusion to a story in 1 Kings 19:19, when the prophet Elijah gives to the prophet Elisha his cloak–or “mantle,” as the word is rendered in the King James Version. This biblical story is interpreted by people in the NAR as a symbolic action, showing that the prophet Elijah was naming the prophet Elisha as his prophetic successor.
So when Pierce presented a mantle to Beck, people in the audience–who regard Pierce as a prophet–understood that their prophet was conferring some type of prophetic status on Beck. This should trouble Christians. Why? Because a leading prophet in the NAR is recognizing a member of the Mormon church–a cult of Christianity, which rejects essential doctrines of the Christian faith– as a true messenger of God. A true prophet of God would do no such thing.
Pierce apparently felt the need to offer a further justification for his action. Yesterday he posted a lengthier comment in which he acknowledged that Beck is a Mormon–though he also hinted that Beck may be on the path to becoming fully Christian. (And take notice that he referred to Beck as a specific individual’s “son in the Lord”–language that is typically used by Christians to describe a true Christian believer.) Certainly, many of Pierce’s followers have interpreted Pierce’s action to mean that he recognizes Beck as a fellow Christian. (Source)
First off, when Glenn Beck repents of his sins and puts his faith in the Jesus Christ of the Bible and leaves his church, we’ll know he’s sincere. But at the moment he has placed his faith in the Jesus Mormon founder and “prophet” Joseph Smith dreamed up, the Jesus who, according to Smith’s writings, is the spirit brother of Lucifer.
What’s so amusing about what went on at the Global Spheres Center is that both of these men are false prophets. Since there’s no denying this, we can safely say that neither one of them is saved. All we need do is look at the fruit. Their fruit’s so rotten that Smuckers would reject it.
Who do we have to thank for mainstreaming the NAR? Pro-family leaders! They’ve made a concerted effort to team up with apostates in their all out effort to “save America.” As a result, a whole host of undiscerning Christians, who trust evangelical leaders, think that anyone involved in pro-family causes are true believers. No doubt some of them are. But many are false converts. The Fact is, anyone who buys into NAR’s unscriptural beliefs is extremely weak in discerning truth from fiction.
Unbeknownst to many people in the Church, the religious and/or Christian Right (CR) and other leaders in the evangelical community have joined together with NAR and LDS folks in order to fight the culture war. Ecumenicism, anyone? And until recently very few Christians even realized this was going on. I reported on the CR’s penchant for joining forces with apostates here.
According to John Lanagan, “The NAR is powerful,” says author and speaker John Lanagan, “and thankfully does not rule the entire Body of Christ. But what have NAR leaders brought us? False eschatology, false visions, contemplative prayer (IHOP-KC and Bethel Redding), twisted doctrine, introduction to quantum mysticism (Bill Johnson, Mark Chironna), occult Kabbalah (Pierce), and mantles to nowhere.”
Lanagan’s reference to “Kabbalah” caught my attention. So I decided to investigate. Although I don’t always agree with The Berean Call, I’m going to include an excerpt from a piece they wrote on Pierce’s infatuation with Kabbalah:
Chuck Pierce, along with his partner, Robert Heidler, teaches much more than keeping the Old Testament feasts. Indeed, they have gone far beyond keeping such celebrations as Passover and have delved into “Christianized” forms of astrology, numerology, etc., and the kabbalah (embraced by celebrities Rosie O’Donnell, Madonna, et al.)
An infatuation with mysticism will always take one away from the Scriptures and now takes Pierce and Heidler into Jewish mysticism. For example, consider the following statement from Kabbalah 365, “Daily Fruit from the Tree of Life,” Day 131: “Although the air of the earthly atmosphere is thick in volume and mass, the mystery wisdom of the spirit realm still manages to enter this world because of the birds. For when the birds are in flight, their flapping wings cut through the thickness of the atmosphere, enabling in the moment for the mystery wisdom of the spirit realm to come through to our world.”
On May 2, 2008, Pierce issued what he calls “A Key Prophetic Word!” that parallels the kaballah: “I have come to make room for you to ascend to a new height. Extend your wings. Then extend them again. Stretch them to the left and the right. It is time for you to take flight!” (http://www.glory-of-zion.org/outmail/5-2-08_EuropeTripLetterOnline.htm ).
Here’s another example: “I am sorting out those situations that are presently confining you. I am coming in with a sorting instrument to begin to sort that which has kept evil in your midst, working against My best purpose for your life. I will sort out the confusion that is around you. I am sending help now. What you need will be sorted out and your path will be rearranged. I AM coming down and cutting through the atmosphere that has been too thick for your vision to progress” (Ibid.).
That’s another parallel to kabbalah: “Your mind serves as a mail sorting room, where thousands of pieces of mail flow in to be sorted. The items that cannot be ‘sorted’ are swept into a pile, which we call the subconscious. Kabbalah gives you ten slots (Sephiroth) to sort the incoming mind processes in to, and making things manageable!” (http://www.thelivinglightfoundation.com/classesKabbalah.php ). (Links are BC’s — Source)
First of all, doesn’t God tell His people in no uncertain terms to stay away from occult practices? (Leviticus 18:1-5) Jewish mysticism is all about the occult. And besides that, Kabbalah’s considered a cult! Obviously “Prophet” Pierce is aware of this fact and has chosen to disobey God by immersing himself in occult practices. And the sheep follow the wolf into the woods…
Even though I found nothing to link Glenn Beck to Jewish mysticism, John Lanagan pointed me to a YouTube video produced by discerners over at Psalm 86 that links Mormonism to the Kabbalah. View the video here.
So – if NAR and LDS are truly Christian, as they claim, how can they possibly be involved in Jewish mysticism? Moreover, if NAR and LDS are truly Christian, as they claim, which of them is the real deal? Inquiring minds want to know.
Be Bereans
Anyone who wishes to know the truth must go to the scriptures to find it. “The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers,” says Charles Ryrie, “is to know the truth. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Any believer who “correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and who makes a careful study of the Bible can identify false doctrine. For example, a believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, step one is to study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the Scripture says.” (Source)
If a professing Christian holds fast to what the Bible teaches, the conclusion he will come to is that NAR and LDS theology is decidedlyunbiblical. And if their beliefs don’t line up with Scripture (reject what God expressly says in His Word) then it matters not that they’re “good people” or “good deed doers,” or really good looking, in reality they’re the enemy of God. In other words, they’re not with Him, they’re in cahoots with Satan. “Whoever is not with me is against me…” (Matthew 12:30)
There’s a stark divide between historic orthodox Christianity and the New Apostolic Reformation, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kabbalah, Word of Faith, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hebrew Roots, and a whole host of equally dangerous counterfeits that spread a false gospel that saves no one. (1 Cor. 15:1-6)
I’ll close with a reminder from Peter:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)