For some reason while speaking in tongues some charismatic leaders repeat the phrase “shaka baba” (here). What language is this and what does it mean exactly? NAR “apostle” Heidi Baker says it means “to ascend.” While preaching, another NAR leader John Kilpatrick uttered “shi-yah-nih-yah…yi-yi-yi-yi…oh come on praise him!” Later “sha-ba-ba-ba….ba! Charismatics would have us believe that the Holy Spirit fills followers of Jesus Christ to have them utter baby talk that makes no sense to anyone. There’s more where this came from, brethren. Go to YouTube and search “talking in tongues.” Continue reading
Author Archives: Marsha West
Are you a member of the HFIB Club? (Reprise)
This article by CRN managing editor Marsha West was published July 3, 2015.
Many Bible believing Christians are members of the HFIB club. The acronym stands for hate, fear, ignorance and bigotry. To be inducted into HFIB all one has to do is oppose homosexual “marriage” or—gasp!—proclaim that homosexuality is a sin against a holy God. For example, talk show host Montel Williams labeled social conservatives hateful bigots for disagreeing with the High Court’s broad interpretation of the U.S. Constitution regarding same-sex “marriage.” Montel has chosen sides, it seems – he’s taken the side of the totalitarian and intolerant left. In a piece by ChristianExaminer columnist Michael Foust entitled Talk show host Montel Williams compares gay marriage opponents to ISIS, Taliban, Foust writes: Continue reading
God’s perfect knowledge
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all. Psalms 139:1-4 (NASB)
Our God is beyond our understanding. Thankfully, He has revealed Himself to us, to a degree, in His Word. Those who claim to serve Him, but treat His Word as if it was not important, or refuse to submit to the truths therein are fools. That has always puzzled me about those who take a sliver of God’s Word, misinterpret it, and then build massive doctrines around their misinformation. Have they no fear of God?
This isn’t culture war. It’s worse.
“This isn’t ‘culture war.’ Culture has nothing to do with it. It’s war on normality by Brownshirts, incited or paid for by the likes of George Soros and Tom Steyer. It has now graduated from street-fighting to trying to take down the U.S. government.”
(Jack Rail – American Thinker) Progressives continue to astonish normal people with their complete incomprehension of normals (as Kurt Schlichter calls them) as human beings. Perhaps that’s because they don’t see us as human beings. They call us unsavory names – deplorables, bitter clingers, toothless, plus every dirty word they can think of. They throw nasty, biological things. They spit on people. They shove people, break windows, start fights, and go out of their way to ensure that everybody has a bad day. Continue reading
Pope seeks to abolish death penalty, changes church teaching
“In an accompanying letter explaining the change, the head of the Vatican’s doctrine office said the development of Catholic doctrine on capital punishment didn’t contradict prior teaching but rather was an evolution of it — a defense to fend off critics who have already accused the pope of heresy for challenging past doctrine on capital punishment.”
(Nichole Winfield – AP) Pope Francis has decreed that the death penalty is “inadmissible” under all circumstances and that the Catholic Church must work to abolish it, changing official church teaching to reflect his view that all life is sacred and there is no justification for state-sponsored executions. Continue reading
The hidden pitfall of Bill Johnson’s ‘Red-Letter Revival’
Holly Pivec of Spirit of Error addresses Bethel Church lead pastor and so-called apostle Bill Johnson’s teaching that believers ought to regularly pursue direction from outside of Scripture, “from subjective impressions experienced by ourselves and others rather than from the objective Word of God.” Are “subjective impressions” found in the Bible? And do the scriptures suggest that believers are to follow their own imaginations?
What most people fail to realize is that the sorts of things Bethel Redding’s leadership promotes (here) will lead them into the world of the occult.
Now listen to what Holly Pivec has to say about the very controversial Bill Johnson. She writes: Continue reading
‘No more boys and girls’: BBC champions ‘gender free’ child raising in new documentary
“This is psychological child abuse, and no kid should be subjected to this indoctrination of gender confusion period.”
(Calvin Freiburger – LifeSiteNews) – A video recently shared by the BBC purports to shame adults for “gender-stereotyp[ing]” children and suggests that distinctions between boys and girls should be erased entirely.
The video, tweeted over the weekend, highlights an experiment in which a male or female baby is dressed in clothes opposite to the baby’s sex, a mat full of toys is laid out, and a series of adult volunteers are filmed playing with the babies. … Continue reading
An Open Letter of Confession from Art Azurdia
It is with great disappointment, my dear friends, that I must express this confession to you in a manner that, for me, has always seemed so distant and detached. I would’ve preferred a much more personal and direct means of communication . . . sitting in a coffee shop or at a kitchen table. Unfortunately, however—given the number of people to whom I must acknowledge my failure, as well as the vast distances that separate us—I ask you to graciously recognize this as my best effort to reach as many of you as possible.
July 27, 2018
To my wife and family members, the elders and congregation of Trinity Church, the faculty of Western Seminary, and friends and colleagues both near and abroad . . . Continue reading
Democrats’ Impeachment Army: $110 Million, 1000 Staff, 2000 Volunteers
Photo credit: Mark Dixon
Democrats who are pushing for the impeachment of President Donald Trump will have $110 million to spend on the cause, thanks to the efforts of left-wing billionaire Tom Steyer.
(Joel B. Pollack – Breitbart) Steyer’s organizations, NextGen America and Need to Impeach, will also have a combined 1,000 employees and 2,000 staffers as they take the case for impeachment to voters in November, according to Politico. Though House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has discouraged impeachment talk, grass roots Democrats favor the idea. Continue reading
Portland’s Anti-ICE Policies Just Put Agents’ Lives In Danger, Says Union
Portland OR mayor Ted Wheeler forbid the police from protecting ICE agents
“We understand that you have a difference of opinion with the current President of the United States, and some of his policies, but we fail to see why targeting the employees of ICE and leaving them vulnerable to violence, harassment and even death furthers a legitimate government interest,” writes Riddell. “Your policy has created a zone of terror and lawlessness.”
(James Barrett – Daily Caller) A union representing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Portland’s mayor after police allegedly refused to respond to emergency calls from agents “trapped inside” their offices amid anti-ICE demonstrations. Continue reading
Study Indicates Beginning of Scripture Neglected
How often do you read the Bible, and where do you read from? These were two of the questions a recent study from the ministry publisher Crossway asked 6,000 Bible readers. The results showed, rather predictably, that most Bible reading is confined to the New Testament (with considerable focus on the last book, Revelation), and that people typically find the Old Testament prophetic books the most difficult to understand. But this survey serves as a reminder that we need to read the whole Bible—not just the New Testament!
(Ken Ham – Answers In Genesis) There are some encouraging results in this study. The book of Genesis shows on the infographic as being in the top 10 books respondents had read in the previous year, the previous six months, and the previous month. Continue reading
Leaving Louie Giglio: A Passion City Story
“Louie regularly partners with others who don’t preach these important doctrines; think Hillsong (Brian Houston of Hillsong Australia is a prosperity teacher not to mention how bad Carl Lentz and Christine Cain are), Elevation Church (Steven Furtick is a motivational speaker who doesn’t preach the Gospel), Andy Stanley (seeker-sensitive who goes out of his way to not offend people with the Gospel, also Louie’s childhood friend), Chad Veach (imagine a cross between a comedian and Steven Furtick), to name a few.”
(Pulpit & Pen) The following is the personal testimony of Chuck Grant. It details his time at Passion City Church in Atlanta. For a similar testimony, see this previous article Continue reading
Where Do People Who Never Hear of Jesus Go When They Die?
“For some reason some Christians get hung up on this question. A lot of Christians shy away from this question. Maybe it is because in our flesh it is hard for us to believe that we actually deserve an eternity in hell for our sin.”
(Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate) In the last couple years, some of my longer Gospel conversations ended up with this question at one point or another. I’m not sure why, but it seemed to come up very often, especially when talking with practicing Roman Catholics.
It is a very good question, because it just doesn’t seem fair to us as human beings that so many people all over the world never get the chance to hear about Jesus. Continue reading
Justice Department creates religious liberty task force
“Let’s be frank: A dangerous movement, undetected by many but real, is now challenging and eroding our great tradition of religious freedom. There can be no doubt. It’s no little matter. It must be confronted intellectually and politically and defeated.”
(Eric Tucker – AP) American culture has become “less hospitable to people of faith,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday in vowing that the Justice Department would protect people’s religious freedom and convictions. Continue reading
Are the fires in Redding a sign of God’s judgement on Bethel?
Rick Becker tackles the claim that the Carr Fire raging in Shasta County that has engulfed more than 100,000 acres is a sign of God’s judgment on Bethel Church in Redding CA. Is that true? You can read Becker’s piece over at Famine In The Land. He writes:
The Carr fire that has caused devastation in California, has weaved it’s way into Redding, home of Bethel church. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed, and at the time of this writing two lives have been lost. This tragedy comes shortly after the horrific fires in Greece that took the lives of at least sixty people. Across the world, other tragedies are taking place in the form of other natural disasters, wars, disease, and starvation. The Carr fire has captured the attention of those familiar with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) due to one of the chief proponents of NAR false doctrines being Bethel church. In this brief post, I would like to address the speculation concerning the reason for the fire. Continue reading
Church Plans to Build Brewery, Host Services Inside
VanHall said everyone drinks responsibly, having a glass of wine or beer in a comfortable atmosphere where “people cannot only listen to a progressive take on theology but can also engage in conversation.”
(Ian Cull – NBC) Would you drink at church?
The Greater Purpose Community Church has held services for five years in Santa Cruz, but a new and interesting concept has gained them new followers.
“We decided to sell the building, because for us a church is a community and a movement,” said Pastor Chris VanHall. “It’s not brick and mortar.” Continue reading
A Local Disaster: County Baptist Association Calls on David Barton
“This is what Chris Roseborugh, the minister who hosts Fighting for the Faith and researches false teachers for a living, had to say about David Barton: ‘There are people who twist God’s word and then there are people who just make fleeting references to it…Dave Barton…is flat out deceitful…he needs to clean up his act…he is discrediting himself and he is discrediting Christianity by engaging in this kind of deception.'”
(Seth Dunn – Pulpit & Pen) My grandfather was a World War II veteran. He was a part of the 10th Mountain Division, which fought the Axis Powers in Italy. He was a gregarious storyteller and relayed to our family more than a few humorous tales of his wartime service. If my grandfather had traumatic experiences during the war he did not, like many of his contemporaries, let on about them…. Continue reading
Another Jesuit University Will Promote Fixes for ‘Marginalization’ and ‘Privilege’
“To progressives, the world is a fallen place — beset by racism, sexism, homophobia, and the rest — that must be transformed and made right,” noted “Big Agenda” author David Horowitz of the mindset. “This redemption was once called communism and is now called socialism, or ‘social justice.’”
With their enthusiastic embrace today of social justice sensibilities, many Jesuit universities — from Marquette University in Wisconsin to Seattle University in Washington — are suffering, it seems, from an identity crisis. Continue reading
PA Catholic Nuclear Bomb
“If ever there was a marriage NOT made in heaven, it would be former Governor Keating and the bishops. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that a good number of these bishops were guilty of extensive criminal behavior, and that they almost had to be sexual predators of some sort themselves.”
(Rod Dreher – The American Conservative) Breaking news out of Pennsylvania: the state Supreme Court has ordered the release next month of a 900-page grand jury report that will discuss more than 300 “predator priests” in six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses.
According to PennLive.com: Continue reading
Revoice: Gay Affirming Karen Swallow Prior is Still Gay Affirming
“One would think that the ‘ethics’ organization of the SBC would be the first – and not literally the last – to speak up on the issue of Revoice. Both Mohler and Moore have been tremendous examples of the lack of courage it takes to lead from behind.”
(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen) With Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) research fellows (who have recently lectured at Southern Seminary’s Fuller Center) endorsing the LGBT Revoice Conference, and with Russell Moore defending her decision to endorse the conference at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, Albert Mohler very carefully stuck his wet finger to the wind to determine which way it was blowing and spoke out against Revoice the day it began. Continue reading
There’s a Direct Line from Obama, Holder, Rice, Lerner, and Clinton to FBI Scandals
Defying Congress, weaponizing government, lying to voters, and erecting a justice double standard created a bitter harvest today.
(Mark Tapscott – LifeZette) Former President Barack Obama’s eight years in the White House were marked by four huge scandals, each of which uniquely contributed to the unprecedented level of corruption now being exposed in the FBI’s Russia collusion investigation.
The four scandals include: Continue reading
A Portrait of God’s Glory
While God’s Word does not give us all the details about our future home with Him, Scripture is hardly silent when it comes to His eternal kingdom. In fact, the Bible contains many descriptions of heaven.
However, some of those descriptions are cast in apocalyptic or prophetic language filled with symbolism and mystery. Such complex imagery can be confusing, even for seasoned biblical scholars. Some want to treat the verses like riddles or treasure maps that unlock deeper meaning and hidden truths about what we can expect in heaven. Others look to allegorize the imagery, leading down infinite rabbit trails of subjective interpretation. But that’s not why the writers of Scripture—under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—described their heavenly visions the way they did.
Revoice Turns Away Pulpit & Pen, Refuses to Speak to the Press
“One volunteer who overheard my name and publication went out of his way to tell me that he was a PCA pastor and that he was here for the same reason I was, which was to love people.”
(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen) Pulling up to the Revoice Conference, I saw a group of volunteers in matching Revoice t-shirts standing at the entrance. I approached and was asked by several of them (yes, several of them – at the same time) if I had registered. I asked to use the restroom (it was a long drive) and they hesitantly allowed me to step into the foyer, telling me, “Come right back here when you are done.” One waited by the door. Continue reading
Tell Jimmy Carter about the Damage of Homosexuality
Recently Jimmy Carter, a professing Christian, commented that, in his opinion, same-sex marriage doesn’t damage anyone. Linda Harvey of Mission: America begs to differ with him, and she gives plenty of examples of why the former president is dead wrong. Harvey also presents three good reasons that American Christians should speak “loudly and vigorously to contend against the unhinged ‘LGBTQ’ movement.”
Here’s Linda Harvey’s piece:
Vicious attacks on Christians? People losing their jobs and businesses? Kids being corrupted? Church communities in total disarray? Continue reading
Donald Trump Vows Investigation of Twitter ‘Shadow Banning’ Republicans
President Donald Trump vowed Thursday to investigate Twitter for their practice of “shadow banning” Republicans and conservatives.
(Charlie Spiering – Breitbart) “Not good. We will look into this discriminatory and illegal practice at once!” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Many complaints.”
Breitbart News has covered Twitter’s practice of hiding tweets and accounts of conservatives for over a year. … Continue reading