About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

A platform for porn and a dialogue with the devil

Jordan Standridge of The Cripplegate tackles a delicate subject: porn. Is it ever a good idea for Christian churches to offer debates about whether or not porn can be good for a marriage?  Standridge answers in the negative. He writes:

A few years ago my wife and I were invited to what was being called “The Great Porn Debate.” A Christian man who was anti-porn was going around the country with a famous porn actor and they were debating the question: Is porn harmful or helpful? They were debating this on college campuses, but the meeting we were invited to was in a church—a large church in San Diego where thousands of Christians would be exposed to a man who was going to try to convince the crowd that porn can be good for you and your marriage.

View article →

‘Sesame Street’ Expresses Support for Homosexuality During ‘LGBT Pride Month’

According to Christian News:

The popular children’s television show “Sesame Street” recently expressed its support for “lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered” persons on its official Twitter page, generating a range of public responses, from positive to negative. “Sesame Street is proud to support families of all shapes, sizes, and colors,” it wrote on June 23, posting a heart next to the text. It also shared a photograph of various Sesame Street characters lined up in a manner to reflect the colors of the rainbow flag. The post has generated over 134,000 likes as of press time, and over 56,000 retweets.

View article →

Pentagon Halts Obama’s Transgender Endorsement Plan

Breitbart reports:

The Secretary of Defense has frozen a decision by former President Barack Obama to recruit transgender soldiers this year, and a new poll shows the planned recruitment freeze is very popular.

Two of every three swing voters say the Pentagon should postpone plans to accept “transgender” people who are trying to live as members of the opposite sex, according to the new poll by Rasmussen Reports.

Defense Secretary James Mattis explained his July 30 decision to delay Obama’s plan for six months, just before it was to begin operating:

View article →

The Modern Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

Well, now that I don’t have to preach on anything but what I want to preach on, since I finished the New Testament, I find myself all over the place, trying to decide what to preach on in sequence.  It’s a new kind of experience for me and I’m working on some kind of sequence that makes sense over the future.  But I am sort of at the liberty point of my life where whatever is on my heart is where I can go, and this is a wonderful opportunity for me.  And there is a subject that has concerned me for a long time, and I have wanted to address this subject, but it hasn’t been a part of the preaching through the gospels in the way that it can be now and that is the subject of the Holy Spirit – the Holy Spirit.  View article →

Michael Moore’s Fourth of July Plans Are Horrible

According to Zackary Leeman of LifeZette, controversial leftist filmmaker and “blatant opportunist” Michael Moore is calling for Trump haters to storm the offices of their Senators over the 4th of July week. Leeman writes:

While most people will be getting together with family and friends and celebrating the birthday of our great nation, filmmaker Michael Moore has different plans altogether.

“I call upon EVERYONE to observe this 4th of July week by nonviolently storming the local offices of your Senators, pack town halls, RISE UP!” Moore tweeted on Wednesday.

He continued in this vein by taking issue with the potential of an Obamacare repeal in the near future.

“The Snakes of the Senate languishing in their pit, unable to attack the millions of sick, elderly & newborn. The Resistance lives to fight on,” he wrote. “They now scurry home 2 ‘celebrate’ the birthday of the country & its people they despise so much. They’ll quietly regroup w/ rich backers…”

View article →

 

NAR Apostle Bill Johnson explaining Apostolic Teams and Spiritual Fathering

From Churchwatch Central:

Bill Johnson writes:

Bill Johnson: “Apostolic Teams -a Group of People Who Carry the Family Mission”

[…] Bill Johnson:

“Apostolic Teams -a Group of People Who Carry the Family Mission”

For centuries the people of God have gathered together around specific truths. Denominations and organizations have been formed to unite these groups of Believers. Having common belief systems (see footnote 1 at bottom) has helped to build unity within particular groups and define their purpose. Historically these groups were formed from people who were usually newly saved, or were asked to leave whatever denomination they were previously a part of.

New Device Allows Cops to Download All of Your Smartphone Activity in Seconds

According to Anti-Media, a new technology allows police to plug drivers’ phones into a tablet-like device that will tell the officer what the person was doing on their phone and exactly when they were doing it. Clearly, this is a violation of a person’s Constitutional right to privacy. Here’s the story:

New York – Any person who operates a motor vehicle in the state shall be deemed to have given consent to field testing of his or her mobile telephone and/or personal electronic device for the purpose of determining the use thereof while operating a motor vehicle, provided that such testing is conducted by or at the direction of a police officer.” 

That’s language from the text of a bill currently working its way through the New York state legislature. The legislation would allow cops to search through drivers’ cell phones following traffic incidents — even minor fender-benders — to determine if the person was using their phone while behind the wheel.

View article →

 

 

The ‘Can’t Talk’ Rule – Red Flags in Abusive Churches

In this piece over at The Hope Blog, Ingrid Schlueter tackles a tough topic: abusive churches. One of the hallmarks of corruption to look for is the application of the “Can’t Talk Rule.” Speak out loud about the problem and you are the problem. Ingrid cites a book that spells out how abusive pastors and church boards operate.  She writes:

At a time when spiritual abuse in churches is epidemic, being able to spot it when it occurs is crucial. I’ve written a number of posts on this topic, and time and again, I am reminded of why understanding how abusive church leaders operate is important. Abusive leaders all tend to operate with the same play book. The difference between a secular abusive environment and one that is religious is that abusers in high places of a church have some extra tools in their control toolbox to bludgeon those under them into submission. Throughout history, on a grand scale or on a small scale, you can see how corrupt religious leaders make full use of speaking for God in order to consolidate and wield their power. It’s how they roll.

View article →

Kris Vallotton ‘You are gods’

From Berean Research:

Photo credit Christian Research Service

There is no doubt that the influence Bethel Church in Redding, California has on its global networks is one your own church may well be a part of, either knowingly or not. We have many research links on this site to help you learn more, along with articles on Bethel, and Kris Vallotton.

Churchwatch Central has been posting a series on Bethel Church, where pastor Kris Vallotton is beginning to be more bold in how he displays is unbiblical theology.  Understand that the “You are Little Gods” theology is from the Word of Faith movement, which has been blended expertly by those at Bethel Church into a New Apostolic Reformation cocktail poisoning the modern church around the world.  Here is part of Churchwatch’s article, and I encourage you to read the entire post on their site: (And yes, we stand by CWC’s assessment of Dr. Michael Brown, who has proven to be a proponent and a part of the NAR.)

View article →

Austrailian Police Charge Vatican Cardinal With Sex Offenses

Associated Press reports:

Australian police charged a top Vatican cardinal on Thursday with multiple counts of “historical” sexual assault offenses, a stunning decision certain to rock the highest levels of the Holy See.

Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ chief financial adviser and Australia’s most senior Catholic, is the highest-ranking Vatican official to ever be charged in the church’s long-running sexual abuse scandal. Pell said he would return to Australia to fight the charges.

View article →

The problem with Bethel Redding’s Firestarters ‘prophetic activation’ class

Holly Pivec of Spirit of Error alerts us to Bethel Church’s latest attempt at drawing people into the world of the occult through their Firestarters course where participants are taught how to “burn with passion for God.” CRN has many articles on Bethel Church’s lead pastor-sorcerer Bill Johnson here.  And you’ll find articles on the sorcerer’s apprentices here.

Now to Holly’s piece:

I recently returned from a trip to Redding, California, where I visited Bethel Church, led by popular NARapostle Bill Johnson. Many things were taught during my visit there that troubled me. Especially troubling was the adult Sunday School class called Firestarters.

Firestarters is a 12-week course described as “the fast-track to revival culture.” It was created by Kevin Dedmon, who teaches at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM), and is a crash course for people who don’t have the time or money to attend BSSM’s full-time program. According to the Bethel website, students learn how to “burn with passion for God,” “experience His passion” for them, “walk in their God-given identity and purpose,” and “experience the power to heal the sick, prophesy, and live a victorious life.”

View article →

Poverty, Dropouts, Pregnancy, Suicide: What The Numbers Say About Fatherless Kids

Claudio Sanchez of National Public Radio has a report on the negative effects on children who grow up without fathers.  According to Sanchez, 24.7 million children in the United States do not live with their biological father. Sanchez documents the problems that arise from fatherless homes.  For example, “Children are four-times more likely to be poor if the father is not around. And we know that poverty is heavily associated with academic success.” Liberals would have us believe that it matters not if children have a father in the home. Christians dispute this, as we know that it does matter to God. We know that it is His plan for children to have a mother and a father — a biological father.

Now to Sanchez’s report:

The growing number of fatherless children in this country poses one of the the most serious problems in education today, according to best-selling author Alan Blankstein.

He has spent most of his life advocating for kids who struggle in school. He wrote Failure is Not an Option, a guide to creating high-performing schools for all students.

So, just how many kids are fatherless? NPR Ed put that question to Blankstein, who told us that 24.7 million kids in the U.S. don’t live with a biological father.

View article →

Study: Networks Devote 55 Percent of Trump Coverage to Russia

Edmund Kozak of LifeZette reports that in a five week period evening newscasts spent 353 minutes on the Trump-Russia probe. He writes:

A new study performed by the Media Research Center (MRC) details the incredible amount of time that mainstream-media networks have dedicated to covering the Trump-Russia probe. Between May 17 and June 20, evening newscasts devoted 55 percent of their coverage of President Donald Trump — 353 minutes in total — to the Russia investigation or other allegations of possible collusion.

Tellingly, the investigation revealed that a full third — 34 percent — of networks’ coverage of the Trump-Russia probe was based on anonymous sources, some of whom turned out to be providing false information. “I think that’s something that should suggest to news viewers that there’s people behind the scenes with an agenda,” said Rich Noyes, research director at the MRC.  View article →

See also Three CNN Employees Resign Over Retracted Story On Russia Ties

 

Rev. Graham: ‘Johnny Depp Is One Dark Soul’

According to CNSNews:

Commenting on actor Johnny Depp’s alleged “joke” about an actor assassinating President Donald Trump, Christian leader Franklin Graham said “Depp is one dark soul,” and he prays that Depp will one day come to know “the Savior who died so that he could be saved from his sins.”

On June 22 at a festival in England to screen his 2004 film The Libertine, Depp — known for many of his popular films but especially the Pirates of the Caribbean series — said of Trump: “I think he needs help, and there are a lot of wonderful dark, dark places he could go. …. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president? It’s just a question. I’m not insinuating anything.

“By the way, this is going to be in the press. It will be horrible. I like that you are all a part of it. I want to clarify, I’m not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it’s been awhile [since the last assassination].”

View article →

 

Gender-Confused Kids Need Protection, Not Exploitation

In a piece over at LifeZette, Dr. Meg Meeker warns us that the moment we stop seeing children’s problems as problems, we stop helping them. “And when we cross boundaries,” says Meeker, “and force others to see their problems as normal, we solidify craziness as the norm.”  She writes:

Once more, the media have gone over the edge and made a mockery of little children. They ran a story about a child who alerted his parents to struggles over gender dysphoria — at the tender age of three.

And shame on his parents for letting them do so. MSN recently reported on the child — named Colt at birth — who rejected his gender and insisted on being called Emma because he said he was really a girl.

OK, I get it. The child has psychic turmoil and needs help. Or he’s playing a game. It’s hard to tell — because when he declared his gender confusion, he was three. Yes, three years old.

But that’s not really the problem. The real beef I have is with adults, particularly those in the media who push their agenda with a finger in our faces, saying, “See, we told you so,” by exploiting small children like Colt/Emma.

View article →

Three CNN Employees Resign Over Retracted Story on Russia Ties

According to TheWrap:

Three CNN employees have handed in their resignations over a retracted story linking President Trump to Russia, the network announced Monday.

The article was removed from CNN.com on Friday after the network decided it could no longer stand by its reporting.

“In the aftermath of the retraction of a story published on CNN.com, CNN has accepted the resignation of the employees involved in the story’s publication,” a network spokesperson told TheWrap in a statement.

View article →

Analyzing Annihilationism: Will Those in Hell Cease to Exist?

Eric Davis of The Cripplegage examines the eternality of hell. “The misery of it all is simply unfathomable,” says Davis. “It is one that must move us to the deepest reverence before God and compassion towards sinners

In yesterday’s post, the miseries of hell were briefly described. When the unredeemed enter, there will be a shock as the magnitude of hell sets in. One of the greatest miseries of hell will be the eternality of it: there will be no end to the conscious torment.

However, there have been questions as to the eternality of hell. The biblical teaching of unending punishment in hell has often been under attack. Do those in hell suffer forever? Or will they experience annihilation at some point and cease to exist? Annihilationism teaches that those in hell will eventually cease to exist. They will not be punished forever, but for a length of time, culminating in their annihilation.

View article →

 

Illinois Bishop Decrees: No Communion and No Funeral Rites for Same-Sex Couples

CNSNews reports:

Before LGBT Pride celebrations begin in Chicago this weekend, Bishop of Springfield Thomas Paprocki issued a formal decree calling on all members of the Catholic faith to enforce the Church’s longstanding policies on the issue of homosexuality.

These policies include no same-sex marriages, no Communion for people in a same-sex union, and no funeral rites for unrepentant homosexuals, among other teachings.

View article →

Pro-Family Groups Push Back After GuideStar Labels 46 American Organizations ‘Hate Groups’

Christian News reports:

Over 40 pro-family groups recently signed a letter to the charity database site GuideStar after it labeled dozens of organizations as “hate groups” based on a list compiled by the controversial Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “The ‘hate group’ list is nothing more than a political weapon targeting people it deems to be its political enemies. The list is ad hoc, partisan, and agenda-driven,” the correspondence read. GuideStar added a banner atop the info pages of 46 nonprofits, which reads, “This organization was flagged as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.”

View article →

Canadian Christian School Reportedly Told Not to Teach ‘Offensive’ Bible Verses to Children

According to Christian News:

A Christian school in Canada says that it is shocked after recently being told by the local school board that it should not teach any “offensive” Bible verses to children, particularly those those that refer to homosexuality. Cornerstone Christian Academy in Kingman, approximately an hour outside of the provincial capital of Edmonton, says that it was recently approached by the Battle River School Division and asked to remove 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 from its student handbook.

View article →

Preacher who lived a life of luxury indicted on tax fraud

The indictment accuses prosperity preacher William Todd Coontz of a check-cashing scheme. Coontz is charged with hiding income from the IRS “by claiming travel as a business expense while using reimbursements as personal income.” Joe Marusak of Charlotte Observer has the story:

A former Charlotte preacher who wrote the book “Please Don’t Repo My Car” was indicted on tax charges Thursday.

William Todd Coontz enjoyed a life of luxury, federal prosecutors contend, by claiming as business expenses the $1.5 million condo he and his family lived in as their parsonage and the luxury vehicles they drove, including three BMWs, two Ferraris, a Maserati and a Land Rover.

He also claimed a Regal 2500 boat, 400 charges at movie theaters, $228,000 in clothing purchases and $140,000 in meals and other entertainment as business expenses with no proof the expenses were for business, according to a federal criminal bill of indictment returned by a grand jury in Charlotte on Thursday.

View article →

Warren Inspires Followers to Threaten Violence Against Republicans

According to LifeZette:

In the aftermath of last week’s targeted shooting of Republican congressmen in Alexandria, Virginia, by a left-wing activist, many wondered if the shocking event would herald a new period of political civility and the rejection of sensationalist rhetoric. It hasn’t.

On Thursday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) posted a video to her Facebook page in which she rails against the newly unveiled Senate Republican health care bill — using intensely inflammatory rhetoric.

“I’ve read the Republican ‘health care’ bill. This is blood money,” Warren wrote. “They’re paying for tax cuts with American lives.”

View article →

Federal Appeals Court Reverses Injunction Against Mississippi’s Freedom of Conscience Act

Christian News reports:

A federal appeals court has reversed an injunction against Mississippi’s Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act, a bill meant to protect residents from punishment when acting in accordance with their religious convictions in regard to the institution of marriage. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana ruled on Thursday that the plaintiffs who filed the legal challenge did not have standing to sue because they could not demonstrate any actual harm created by the law. It said, however, that the matter could be considered if and when an actual incident occurs.

View article →

Obamacare Unraveling as GOP Set to Unveil Fix

According to LifeZette:

The Affordable Care Act continued its inevitable collapse Wednesday when Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced it would be pulling out of most of the Wisconsin and Indiana marketplaces.

The bad news for Obamacare followed on the heels of Anthem’s announcement in early June that it would be withdrawing from Ohio’s marketplaces. Roughly 46,000 Hoosiers purchased health care coverage from Anthem on the exchange, while approximately 14,000 Wisconsinites purchased Anthem’s coverage.

View article →