Commentary, analysis and opinion.

The megachurch model is unsustainable

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“The nature of [the Christian] concept of the flesh is that we are bent toward being self-preserving and self-exalting. Somehow that bent gets fed and flourishes as we become more visible to an approving public.  Leading a very large church can be extremely difficult to do well, and almost dangerous from that standpoint.”

(Brian Sanders – Dallas News)   This summer, one of the nation’s largest and most influential megachurches suffered the loss of its senior leader and entire governing board, an event that has escalated a conversation about whether the megachurch model is sustainable. Continue reading →

Bethel & Ben Fitzgerald need to be held accountable as occultists continue to establish deep connections with Bethel & Awakening Conferences

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“In our ongoing investigations into Christalignment we also found that they plagiarised/stole the work of others. When Bethel defended Christalignment, they stated that the group existed as ‘disguised outreach’ for New Age events. However, Christalignment make no attempt to ‘disguise’ their true occult identity at churches and ‘Sexpos’ … clearly proving that Ben Fitzgerald, Bethel and Christalignment are prepared to lie in order to silence any criticism.”

(Churchwatch Central) Towards the end of last year Bethel Church Redding, California attempted to distance themselves from a group in Australia who practice and promote witchcraft. This particular group engaged in New Age and occultic practices such as tarot card readings, stone readings, rain/spirit dancing, connecting to energies/heavens/angels/warrior spirits and practicing henna tattooing. (CWC thoroughly established that this group practices tarot card reading and occultic henna art.) Continue reading →

Hillsong Christmas Musical Trailer Depicts Jesus Born in a Bar

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The London Hillsong 2018 lavish “Christmas” production is completely beyond the pale. Once again Hillsong demonstrates what Christmas is about for the worldly Christian — being entertained!  Holy Spirit-filled (authentic) Christians will find this production not to their liking. In fact, believers will be deeply offended by Hillsong’s “burlesque-type show” that has Joseph, Mary and the Christ child in a noisy nightclub atmosphere instead of a peaceful stable. JD Hall of Pulpit & Pen has the story that includes video trailers of Hillsong’s appalling production: Continue reading →

Beware of the leader who wants to ‘rethink’ what the Bible says

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“Beware of the leader who wants to “rethink” what the Bible says or how we apply the Bible to these current situations and contexts. We must reaffirm the truth of the past. We must reaffirm orthodox and historic theology and biblical understanding. But we must never rethink the Bible’s teaching.”

(Stephen Nichols – Ligonier Ministries)  From “3 Lines in the Sand.”   At the turn of the twentieth century, the sciences supposedly knew better than the Bible. Now, the social sciences supposedly know better than the Bible. And we are seeing this new world-view presented artfully and entertainingly through a barrage of media and in the halls of the academy. A casual watcher and listener will be exposed to countless gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals, acts, and ideas—and all without ever leaving mainstream media outlets. These are the times we live in (see TheStateofTheology.com). Continue reading →

Lysa TerKeurst Promotes Prosperity Gospel in Latest Book

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“Countless Christians live with overwhelming discouragement in their spiritual walk because they are told they should be victorious now, that things would go better for them if they had more faith, that even if trials come, they will have peace if they simply TRUST GOD.” 

(Jodie Jensen – Pulpit & Pen)  A new book was released this week by Lysa TerKeurst, and I want to earnestly caution believing friends against running out to get it or hopping on Amazon to order it. She is an exuberant writer and speaker and has experienced great triumph over intense difficulties in her life, but these things alone do not make her a sound Biblical teacher, and that should be our top priority when we are studying the Word of God. Continue reading →

Blasphemy: ‘Gay Christian’ Says Jesus is Promiscuous and Polyamorous

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Brian G. Murphy teaches extreme blasphemy. 

“This is the heresy of theoerosism, which essentially amounts to romantic vibes for Jesus. That’s not the type of love with which he loves us. He’s not your boyfriend. His love is not reckless or romantic. In fact, Jesus doesn’t love us “amorously” and so to argue Jesus is polyamorous, is logic that does not follow.”

WATCH THE VIDEO ON THE SITE

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen) Warning: The following article contains a description of extreme blasphemy. It also has offensive language. We only write about this with fear and trembling, so as to lift it to scorn and contend against it. Continue reading →

The Present American Revolution

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Almost everything we have seen in just the last three months — the Kavanaugh chaos, the “caravan,” the ongoing Mueller octopus, recounting election results until they are deemed “correct,” the Beto and Gillum neo-socialism craziness, the swarming of a Fox News anchor’s home, driving public officials out of restaurants, the media circus at presidential press conferences — are symptoms of revolutionary America.

(Victor Davis Hanson – National Review)  The revolution of 1776 sought to turn a colony of Great Britain into a new independent republic based on constitutionally protected freedom. It succeeded with the creation of the United States. Continue reading →

Megachurch pastor tells church to stop going to yoga, because of its ‘demonic roots’

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Not surprisingly, the pastor who rightly stated that yoga has demonic roots, therefore it shouldn’t be practiced by Christians has been accused of being “ignorant,” “divisive” and inciting “hate speech.” Reporter Alissa Zhu interviewed a “Christian yogi” (an oxymoron if ever there was one) who claims the practice has brought him closer to God, in spite of the fact that participating in any sort of pagan practice is expressly forbidden by the God of the Bible. Zhu also interviewed Stephanie Wubbena who teaches goat yoga on a farm. Wubbena said her main concern was that the pastor’s message is “going after small businesses.”

After reading the story, return to CRN and discover why the pastor felt it was necessary to warn his congregants that practicing yoga can be spiritually harmful to Christians in a piece entitled Going Against God “Just for Fun.”

Now to Alissa Zhu’s story over at Springfield News-Leader. She writes: Continue reading →

Students Warned, ‘Don’t Pray in Public’

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“This is perhaps a double-edged sword: on one hand, going back to the 1960s there has been an agenda to remove God from public schools and the culture. On the other hand, too many Christian leaders and parents have quietly backed out of culture, avoiding any controversial issue and choosing not to take a stand for the faith, the gospel, and for truth.” 

(David Fiorazo)  In Texas of all places, a few public school students sat down at an empty table in the lunchroom to quietly pray for a classmate who was in an accident. The school principal, Lee Frost, immediately walked over to them and warned them: “Don’t do that again.” It’s as if they just dropped f-bombs, looked at porn, vandalized something, or bullied another student. Continue reading →

Karen Prior Creates ‘Guild’ with Wildly Unorthodox Women to Help Women Attain Biblical Orthodoxy

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“Make no mistake about it, Karen Swallow Prior – who serves the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission – wants the group to lead the way to a fully-egalitarian, women-centric, feminist-focused church experience.” 

(JD Hall – Pulpit & Pen)  For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions. – 2 Timothy 3:6

If you added all of these women together, their theological credentials wouldn’t cover a napkin. Their accumulative doctrinal teaching has all the stability of a Midol commercial. In a Luke 6:39 scenario, Karen Swallow Prior and other wildly unorthodox women are creating a feminist ‘guild’ to help women move toward Biblical orthodoxy. When they’re not orthodox themselves, one wonders what male pastor will help them do that. Continue reading →

‘Boy Erased’ Movie Foments Anti-Christian Bigotry

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“Boy Erased depicts a residential treatment program for males struggling with “gay” attractions. In the film, a young man is beaten with a Bible. There’s shaming and yelling. Alleging that “God won’t love you” unless homosexuality stops instantly in this young man’s life.”

(Linda Harvey – Mission:America)  Hooray for Hollywood! The cinematic dream masters are powerfully adept at making fantasy seem real. We get flying super heroes, cosmic meteor strikes, even an Emerald City.

And now, another fable–a tale of mean Christians forcing a boy to be un-“gay.” Continue reading →

Veterans Deserve Sincere Thanks for Our Freedom, Our Country, Our America

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Taking a moment to share appreciation lets our brave men and women know we are forever grateful for their sacrifice.

(Deirdre Reilly – LifeZette)  Veterans Day is one holiday that is all too easy to overlook.

There are no gifts given, no big family gatherings to attend, no cards or decorations marking the anniversary.

There are gifts they’ve given us, actually — the gift of precious freedom to every American, from those brave men and women who have fought in all wars since the beginning of our republic. Continue reading →

Blasphemy: Jesus is not Isa, Isa is not Jesus

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Former International Mission Board President David Platt

“As warm and joyful as it makes any Christian to hear that many are coming to the Messiah, the method of their coming must align with the Bible. Secondly, the Messiah they are coming to must be this same Jesus. (Acts 1:11)  Names are important. Count how many times in Acts, a mission-book of the Bible if there ever was one, the word “name” is stated. One must know to whom one is appealing for forgiveness of sins. Isa is not the Messiah. Isa is a devil.”

(Elizabeth Prata)  For several years now we have been hearing stories of Muslim people in closed Islamic societies claiming to have had a dream of a certain person appearing to them in a white robe, sometimes introducing Himself as Isa, and variously either sharing the Gospel in the dream or saying that someone will soon come to share the Gospel with them. Missionaries have reported many Muslims allegedly coming to faith by this method. Continue reading →

Notre Dame President: Don’t Turn Abusive Cardinal McCarrick Into A Monster

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“Jenkins is essentially likening McCarrick’s corrupt sexual abuse to that of a drunk that just cannot help himself. He also claims to have only heard “rumors” of McCarrick while noting he benefited Notre Dame greatly.”

(Paul Bois – Daily Wire)  The Catholic Church is suffering a serious, serious crisis. Not just because several bishops have proven themselves feckless cowards who cover up for sexual predators but also because the clerics have lost their ability to condemn objective evil. Continue reading →

Yoga and meditation on the rise among US adults and kids

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Read this….and then read Going Against God “Just for Fun” to see what God says about His people playing around in the world of the occult.

(Naomi Thomas – CNN)  More Americans are turning to forms of complementary medicine such as yoga, meditation and chiropractors, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, says in reports released Thursday that more than 30% of US adults and about 12% of children use “healthcare approaches that are not typically part of conventional medical care or that may have origins outside of usual Western practices.” Continue reading →

Going against God ‘just for fun’ (Reprise)

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY

This article by CRN managing editor Marsha West was first published May 2, 2013.

Today we’re hearing a lot about Spiritism or Spiritualism, not to be confused with spiritual or spirituality, as in “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual,” or “I’m into spirituality.” The term Spiritism has replaced what was once called animism and other religious practices involving the invocation of spiritual beings.

Some religions meld Spiritualism with Christianity. For example, a blend of Christian and African folk beliefs that originated in Brazil is now practiced in the U.S. Spiritualism is much the same as Spiritism only it has adopted Christian rites and prayers. People visiting Spiritualistic services can be misled into thinking they’re Christian churches. The problem is Christianity cannot be melded with any other religion or practice. Continue reading →

Can A False Teacher Be A Christian?

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“Our job is to evaluate what we can see – the person’s behavior, writings, sermons, teachings, and conversation – and determine whether or not it aligns with Scripture. If it doesn’t – even if we personally believe the person is actually saved – those teachings, and the person who teaches them, have no place in our churches or personal study materials.”

(Michelle Lesley)  I recently had the opportunity to read a fascinating and thought provoking Twitter discussion among some brothers in Christ about what constitutes a false teacher, and whether or not some false teachers might actually be genuinely regenerated Christians. Continue reading →

Christians are People of Truth

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“When you are born again, you have a new heart with new motives and suddenly your loophole deceitful schemes violate your heart in a way that they never did before.” 

(Josh Buice – Delivered By Grace)  It was Daniel Webster who once remarked, “There is nothing so powerful as truth—and often nothing so strange.” We live in a culture of lies. The devil is the father of all lies and this world is filled with a web of lies. When it comes to life in general, people expect to be told lies. We anticipate it at the car dealership, in the world of sales, and certainly in the world of politics. Continue reading →

Colorado Elects First Openly Gay Governor In U.S. History As The State Persecutes Christians

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“I think it really gives Colorado an opportunity to stick a thumb in the eye of Mike Pence whose view of America is not as inclusive as where America is today.” 

(Paul Bios – Daily Wire)  The state of Colorado made U.S. history on Tuesday night by electing the first openly gay man to the governorship.

According to the New York Post, “Democrat Jared Polis, a congressman from the state’s second district, received 51 percent of the vote compared with state treasurer Walker Stapleton’s 45 percent.” Continue reading →

For Trump, challenge of governing with Dem House, but full speed ahead with GOP Senate

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“So look for Trump to pursue an even more Senate-focused strategy. A continued string of judicial confirmations, coupled with executive actions that do not require congressional approval, could give the president more accomplishments even if he cannot pass legislation.”

(Byron York – Washington Examiner)  It took a while for President Trump to get used to working with the Republican-led Congress, but he developed a style of dealing with lawmakers that led to the passage of tax reform and a number of smaller measures. Continue reading →

Seven of the Most Outrageous Media Reactions to the Midterm Results

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“A lot of Americans decided to go out and vote … to support a man who spent the last month of the campaign not making subtle appeals to racism, but making overtly bigoted, racist statements, attacking brown people, attacking black people, attacking people who were the others.”

(Kathryn Blackhurst – LifeZette)  Democrats won the House and Republicans maintained control of the Senate following the Tuesday midterm elections — and the results were met with predictably partisan reactions from liberal mainstream media members. Continue reading →

It’s No Accident When Children are Drawn to Satanism

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“Witchcraft is being normalized and glamorized to young girls through media like Teen Vogue. This fall, a revived “Sabrina” series is debuting on Netflix, and this time, it’s not a comedy but a gruesome drama with storylines that include Satanism. And “Charmed” is back as well, with a plot that’s a diabolical stew of occult rituals along with feminist politics—and of course, the requisite sexual perversion. One of the characters is a lesbian.”

(Linda Harvey – Mission: America)  You may think you don’t have time to deal with your child’s obsession with astrology, weird Internet games, horror movies or dark-themed music. Or that new book about cool teens who are witches. Continue reading →

At Star-Studded Rally, Trump Makes Closing Argument: ‘Stop Radical Resistance In Its Tracks’

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President Trump and Fox News host Sean Hannity

“Hannity said Trump is a man of his word: “Promises made, promises kept.” And Pirro, host of “Justice With Jeanine,” knocked out the crowd when she said: “If you like the American that he is making now, you’ve got to make sure you get out there tomorrow if you haven’t voted yet.”

(Joseph Curl – Daily Wire)  President Trump brought out the big guns in his final rally before Election Day as he made his closing argument, urging voters to “stop the radical resistance in its tracks” to prevent Democrats from undoing the gains he’s made in his first two years.

In a rally in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, talk radio host Rush Limbaugh emerged first, drawing cheers from thousands packed into an arena. Continue reading →

Nadia Bolz-Weber: It’s okay to look at porn, especially if it’s ‘ethically sourced

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Lutheran “pastor” Nadia Bolz-Weber

“Exposing the ELCA, a website which is critical of the teachings and pastoral practices of the Lutheran sub-denomination, identifies Bolz-Weber as its most famous pastor, author, and speaker, noting that she was chosen to speak to 31,000 ELCA teenagers at a summer youth conference.”

EXPLICIT

(Doug Mainwaring – LifeSiteNews)  A prominent progressive pastor has said viewing pornography is just fine, especially if it is “ethically sourced porn.”

Reverend Nadia Bolz-Weber of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) heads a congregation composed of many LGBT members and which features a “Minister of Fabulousness,” according gay news site outinjersey.net. That website recently released a lengthy interview with the female pastor in which she shared some of her pro-LGBT and pro-pornography opinions. Continue reading →

The importance of teaching sound doctrine

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Much is at stake, but great things are in store if a church stops playing games and bolts the Bible to the pulpit and the pulpit to the floor boards. Sure, some people may not like it, but God’s word promises that the blessings will outweigh the backlash. Let’s look at five reasons that preaching sound doctrine matters…

(Costi Hinn – Servants of Grace)  Some years ago we did things a little differently at our church than we do now. We had a band that was filled with hired guns and we paid them to play the lights out every Sunday. To illustrate: our guitarist would tour the world with a famous boy-band, then roll in on Sundays to put on a show for our church—true story. Continue reading →