Commentary, analysis and opinion.

Are there apostles and prophets today?

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“Those foundational apostles had been eyewitnesses of Jesus both before and after His death and resurrection—plus they had been personally called by the living Christ! No person today can meet these requirements, and no person today can build the foundation of the church. That has been built, and nothing can prevail against it.”  

(Colleen Tinker – Proclamation!)  As often happens, we received a significant question in a recent email—and this one addressed the troublesome subject of apostles and prophets. It came from a woman who had just listened to our podcast in which Nikki Stevenson and I interviewed Justin Peters at the Truth Matters Conference last October. Her email was short but direct: Continue reading →

In bizarre prayer, Paula White declares, ‘We come against the marine kingdom…the animal kingdom…we command satanic pregnancies miscarry’

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“We honestly have no idea what a “Satanic pregnancy” is or what it means to “miscarry.” Paula White probably doesn’t even know. It’s nonsense gobbledegook.”

(Pulpit & Pen)  For months, Donald Trump has been handing to evangelicals gifts from their political wish lists like no president before him, earning their rightful appreciation and support. However, the presence of New Apostolic Reformation Apostle, Paula White, continues to plague him as a liability rather than an asset. Continue reading →

Alice Bailey’s 10 Point Plan to Destroy Christianity

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“Let us bear in mind that the 10 Point Plan was formulated in the early 20th Century –- many decades before such a strategy was even conceivable within culture and society at the time. If one makes an objective observation it would be easy to conclude that this 10 Point Plan is definitely being implemented at the highest cultural, spiritual and political levels within the world. Why? Probably because Alice Bailey is regarded by New Agers and occultists as one of the “prophetesses” of the New Age Movement.”

(Inspired Walk)  Alice Bailey is known as one of the founders of the New Age Movement. She was a writer who lived between 1880 and 1949 and she is the person who is known for creating the term “New Age” in her books which mostly focus on the subject of theosophy. Continue reading →

Recognizing Critical Theory: Subverting the true Law and true Gospel in favor of Marxist categories

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“Of course, not all those who use the language of CT fully embrace its tenets or understand the paradigm underlying the language they use. Its subtlety is part of its great strength. Many continue to hold an orthodox understanding of the Gospel while using CT as an “analytical tool.” But there are some, and their numbers increase, who have so embraced CT that the Gospel has become synonymous with it.”

(Matt Kennedy – Stand Firm)  How many books by people of color do you have on your shelves? How about women? When you reach for a commentary do you inevitably grab one written by a white male? What about the Bible you read, were the translators mostly white and male?… Continue reading →

Voting for Trump is… Illegal?

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“So Trump is a racist, because they say so, “Make America Great Again” is a racist appeal, because they say so, and anyone who votes for him is violating the Constitution. Please don’t ask me to explain this line of reasoning.”

(Lee Duigon – News With Views)  If leftists could get inside your head and uproot and throw out everything they found in there that they didn’t like, and replace your thoughts with their thoughts, they’d do it in a New York minute.

Which leads us to the latest bit of fascist wackiness from NBC Nooze. Continue reading →

Ex-Witch’s Warning About New Disney Show: ‘It’s Not a Joke… That Realm Is Very Real’

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“It was a demonic hold on my life that caused me to open doors to witchcraft and practicing spells and incantations and studying the religion of Wiccan…It’s why I tell parents when I minister, it’s not a joke when we say be careful what your children are watching.” 

(Charlene Aaron – Faithwire) A new Disney cartoon is teaching kids that being a witch is a good thing. It’s called “The Owl House” and recently premiered on the Disney Channel.

The show tries to portray witchcraft as a positive tool to fight evil. And some people say there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to a children’s show like this, arguing that it’s just make-believe. Continue reading →

Do Discerning Christians Hate the Local Church?

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“At Pulpit & Pen, we are constantly reminding our readership (as well as our listeners at Polemics Report and the Intelligence Briefing) that discerning believers must be among the most faithful, most giving, most sacrificial church members in any local congregation.”

(Pulpit & Pen)  Richard Caldwell is the pastor of Founders Baptist Church in Spring, Texas. It is a Reformed(ish) Baptist congregation, and Pastor Caldwell claimed on Twitter yesterday that discerning Christians don’t have a high regard for the local church.

God help his congregation. Continue reading →

Defining the Will of God

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“The context of Deuteronomy is instructive. As the Lord prepares Joshua to lead Israel into the land of Canaan after the death of Moses, He reminds His people of the necessity of His Word to know His will. This would prove to be a message Israel needed to hear. The anticipation of the promised land would press the limits of Israel’s faith as it navigated the obstacles that often lie in the gap between promise and fulfillment. In the face of the uncertainties that attend life in a fallen world, Israel needed to be reminded that obeying God’s Word was at the center of knowing God’s will for their lives.”

(John Tweeddale – Tabletalk) Throughout the annals of time, many people have struggled to define the will of God. When we talk about God’s will today, we tend to speak about things in reference to ourselves—usually good things such as our spouses, our children, our jobs, our finances, and our hobbies…. Continue reading →

Beth Moore Says She Stays Quiet on MLK Day Because a Black Man Told Her ‘Talk Less’

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“To be frank, the argument employed here is no different than the argument that leftists use against the pro-life movement — that only women who experience hardships in raising children should have a voice.”

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)  Beth Moore has long left the reservation of sound, biblical Christianity. Besides the fact that she’s a rebellious woman who refuses to submit to the authority of God’s word by teaching and preaching to men, she has fully embraced the “woke church” movement and joined the chorus of self-shaming virtue-signaling white folk who have surrendered their right to speak on racial issues to those professional victims of a fictive epidemic of “white supremacy.” Continue reading →

Mysticism in the Church: 10 Things to Watch For

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An integral part of “spiritual formation” disciplines, contemplative prayer (aka centering prayer, abiding prayer, breath prayer, Jesus prayer) is described by Richard Foster as: wordless (no content), not for the novice (exclusive), unmediated, and dangerous. Thomas Merton gives the dangers: you could lose your faith, contact a demon, be led into false belief by your own imagination, feel a dread sense that God has abandoned you, or have a mental breakdown. No Scripture prescribes the following ritual to achieve union with the divine: sit quietly, use measured breathing, repeat a phrase over and over for 20 minutes until your mind is empty. Is this altered mental state really the one way to achieve union with God, as mystics claim?….

(Lena Wood & Lynn Lusby Pratt)  As unsettling changes take place in your Christian environment, you might find yourself in this scenario: Continue reading →

Yes, the Devil is Real

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“One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe – a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin. The difference [from Dualism] is that Christianity thinks that this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel.” 

(Bill Muehlenberg – Culture Watch) Contrary to the claims of some, Satan most certainly exists: Continue reading →

Why didn’t God stop Eve from eating the fruit?

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“Our God, your God whether you believe He exists or not, loves His world and continues to work His sovereign plan of salvation in it upon those whom He has foreknown. He will be glorified.”

(Elizabeth Prata – The End Time)  I was listening to a Grace Community Church Question and Answer session. I always appreciate how John MacArthur can sum up complex theological thoughts and issues so succinctly. I also enjoy the variety of questions. There came a question from what sounded like a very young boy. Continue reading →

The New Age Christian—An Accepted Oxymoron

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It is important to understand that Satan is not simply trying to draw people to the dark side of a good versus evil conflict. Actually, he is trying to eradicate the gap between himself and God, between good and evil, altogether.

(Ray Yungen) The current popularity with meditative contemplative mysticism presents a very perplexing challenge for evangelical Christianity. We are now encountering the New Age or Aquarian Christian. This term describes someone who remains in his or her home church and professes the Christian faith but has also incorporated various aspects of the New Age or Aquarian mindset into his or her life…. Continue reading →

No, God Did Not Speak to You Through, Dreams, Visions, Voices in Your Head, or Divine Impressions

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“If you are the one making such a claim, you must be prepared to defend your claim. If you are going to tell others that God is speaking to you, you must give us a reason to believe it. No one should expect to make the incredible claim that God is speaking to them without being willing and open to showing us why they believe such an event occurred.”

(Ed Dingess – Reformation Charlotte)  “God spoke to me.” “God gave me a dream.” “The Holy Spirit led me.” All these represent claims that I hear just about every time I am around other Christians. Rare is the modern Christian that does not make these claims. Rarer still are those that dare to question such claims. And most rare of all are those that dare to reject such claims in preference for, not just a theological, but a practice view of the sufficiency of Scripture. Why is that? Continue reading →

Context Matters: Abstain from All Appearance of Evil

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“And how does Paul want people to express their dependence on the Spirit? How can they show their regard for those verbal prophecies? Is it by shutting off their minds and swallowing wholesale whatever is spoken in the name of the Spirit?”

(Peter Krol – Knowable Word)  Perhaps you’ve heard the injunction to avoid the appearance of evil. You won’t find the phrase in most modern English Bibles, as it’s a holdover from the King James translation of 1 Thessalonians 5:22. The ESV commands us to “abstain from every form of evil,” and the CSB simplifies it further to “stay away from every kind of evil” (1 Thess 5:22, CSB). This verse could be called upon to support just about any set of personal prohibitions, including interacting with someone of the opposite sex, dining at a tavern, choosing one’s friends, and forming political alliances, to name a few. Continue reading →

Criticism of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Role of Discernment Blogs

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Truth is, it may be that SBC leaders are exceedingly fearful that they are losing the ear of the internet consumer, especially the ear of evangelical Christians. Such a fear could very well explain why SBC leaders have become so vigorously vocal and, in some cases, unreasonably hysterical toward the so-called “discernment blogs.” Less than a decade ago,  established blogs by SBC leaders like Al Mohler set the SBC agenda and ruled the information network in SBC circles. But suppose now blogs like Pulpit & Pen, Capstone Report, and some others who are, by and large, critical of the SBC and its stated agenda, rule the internet traffic, perhaps even obtaining the lion’s share of SBC internet consumers.  

(Peter Lumpkins) Last week, The Capstone Report, a popular website that focuses on issues it perceives as troubling in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), released a story concerning the president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Jason Allen, claiming he was personally lobbying the Missouri governor to settle more refugees in the state…. Continue reading →

Kanye West to Join Host of False Teachers for Awaken 2020 Conference

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“It appears that Kanye West has fully embraced the charismatic New Apostolic Reformation “signs and wonders” movement and will be joining a host of self-proclaimed “prophets” and “apostles” at the Awaken 2020 Conference this weekend. Some of the false prophets and false apostles heading up the event include Cindy Jacobs, Lou Engle, Guillermo Maldonado, Brian Welch, and many others.”

(Jeff Maples – Reformation Charlotte)  I’ve been cautiously optimistic about Kanye West’s supposed conversion to Christianity. While I’ve been hopeful that his conversion is true, I’ve been skeptical about the sincerity of his conversion and have refrained from promoting him or his music to other believers. Continue reading →

Impeachment, Karl Barth, and Christianity Today

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In the interest of answering Mr. Galli’s call for reasoned dialogue on this issue, my question for him is, Why does he give Karl Barth a pass on similar issues? The question requires some explanation so that readers understand what I mean by “give Karl Barth a pass.” Several months ago Mr. Galli wrote an essay, “What to Make of Karl Barth’s Steadfast Adultery?”

(J.V. Fesco)  In recent days Christianity Today’s  editor-in-chief Mark Galli published an editorial calling for the impeachment and removal of President Trump from office. Before I wade into the debate, I want to distinguish two important issues that Mr. Galli raises in his article. First, there is his call for President Trump’s impeachment. Second, there is the way that he characterizes Evangelical supporters of the President…. Continue reading →

What Churches Should Know About YWAM: ‘Hearing God’s Voice’

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“[G]iving prophetic words to another person while blindfolded – has been practiced at YWAM’s Impact DTS in Skien, Norway. A former student named Stephen – who attended this DTS in 2018 –  reports that, through this exercise, God confirmed he should serve in the U.S. Army as a chaplain. Thus, he made a major life decision based on what he believes he “heard” from God during this exercise. But how do Stephen and other YWAM students know that the messages they have heard are actually from God and not from their imaginations or another more sinister (i.e., demonic) source? Such a practice is irresponsible at best and dangerous at worst.”

(Holly Pivec – Spirit of Error)  This post is the third in a series on the influential Christian missions organization Youth With a Mission (YWAM). YWAM was founded in 1960 by Loren Cunningham as a way to deploy young people as missionaries throughout the world…. Continue reading →

Max Lucado’s Endorsement of Jen Hatmaker: What it Means and Why it Matters

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[Paul’s] comments on unity were actually followed by specific instructions for Christians to reject their old way of life and to pursue holiness and Christlike compassion. Paul warns the readers to avoid even a hint of sexual immorality or greed. He advises them not to partner with anyone who is openly disobedient to Christ but instead to live as children of the light. So, according to Paul, Christian unity can only exist within the framework of God’s holiness.*

(Alisa Childers) In the past couple of years, Jen Hatmaker has received quite a bit of attention, not only as a New York Times best-selling author and social media sensation, but also as one of the most high-profile Christians to affirm same-sex marriage. This ignited a controversy that lit up the blogosphere with equal parts disagreement  and praise.… Continue reading →

Golden Globe Awards Speech Defends Abortion

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“The number of women who have abortions because of rape or their own life being in danger pales in comparison to the number of women who, like Williams, will kill their unborn child to fulfill their life goals.”

(Alan Shlemon – Stand To Reason)  I often hear abortion defended for two reasons: rape and the life of the mother being in jeopardy. It turns out these are two of the least common reasons why women have abortions in the United States. That’s not according to me, but according to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization started by Planned Parenthood. Continue reading →

President Trump is doing something with Iran that every American should be proud of

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Let me say this clearly: this is precisely what the President of the United States should be doing, and every American, regardless of his or her politics, should be proud that he’s doing it.

(Peter Heck – Disrn)  In June of 2009, hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets of Tehran to protest the stolen election by the then Ayatollah-approved dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Dubbed the “Green Movement,” desperate protestors braved bullets from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to rally for freedom and change. Continue reading →

Karma Versus Sowing and Reaping — What’s the Difference?

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“The principle of karma burdens people with an unknown amount of effort throughout an unknown number of life cycles in order to attain a supposed state of bliss called nirvana. Yet, the Bible encourages us that the one true God will right all wrongs and bring about complete justice in his perfect timing.”

(Lee Ann Trees – Beautiful Christian Life) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap (Gal. 6:7).

If people reap what they sow, why do we see so many instances where justice is not carried out in this world? The principle of karma has an answer for this dilemma: people will eventually be paid back with good or evil in future reincarnations for the deeds they have done in the past. Continue reading →