(Gamaliel Isaac – American Thinker) A conservative cynic from birth, I foolishly thought I had seen it all when it came to leftist madness. But then I saw, posted on CNN’s website, “Why kids love ‘fascist’ cartoons like ‘Paw Patrol’ and ‘Thomas’.” The article referenced several other articles that described Thomas as “a premodern corporate-totalitarian dystopia,” “imperialist racist and sinister,” and “classist, sexist, and anti-environmentalist.”
The Top 10 Child Corruption Trends of 2017
(Linda Harvey – Mission America) As we look back on 2017, how did our children fare?
Unfortunately, the risk to America’s youth of deliberate corruption is escalating and along with that, the responsibility of parents and public officials to change this picture.
I am not trying to overly sensationalize what’s happening. The facts alone do that. My goal is motivation with prayer points and action steps. Folks, prayer alone is not enough. We must get involved, confront this evil and make it go away.
Here are my Top Ten Child Corruption Trends during last year, hoping they do not continue: Continue reading
Open Occultism and Millennial Magik
Here’s an idea. Instead of Christian missionaries heading off to third world countries to evangelize the lost, why not remain at home and evangelize college students. As it turns out, many institutions of higher learning promote paganism; thus, a large number of college educated millennials have bought into pagan beliefs, hook line and sinker. They’re involved in occult practices like astrology, tarot card reading, aura reading, palmistry, Runes, charms, potions, they play the Ouija board game and so on and so forth. In other words, college students are practicing the magik arts, what is commonly called witchcraft.
Continue reading
Evangelical rebel Jen Hatmaker deserved more from Politico than a puff piece
Journalist and author Julia Duin argues that Politico’s recent piece on “evangelical” Jen Hatmaker, who has become firmly ensconced in the Religious Left, didn’t get anywhere near the same scrutiny as those on the Religious Right receive in the articles written about them. “Why didn’t the writer of this fluff maintain at least some journalistic distance from her subject?” demands Duin. “There was zero attempt (that I could discern) to get an opposing point of view and whoever edited it didn’t demand even a hint of objectivity from the reporter.”
In this piece over at Get Religion, Duin reveals why a large number of evangelical women feel betrayed by the woman they were led to believe shared their biblical worldview. She writes: Continue reading
Pastors: Stop Trying to be Popular
The good news about Christ can only be appreciated with the bad news as the backdrop. There are times when the saints must be fed, and there are times when the sinners must be warned (C.H. Spurgeon).
(Shane Idelman – ChristianHeadlines) A few years back, I listened in astonishment as some prominent “Christian” leaders talked about replacing “preaching” with “having a conversation.”
At first, I thought that they might be confusing individual conversations with how we should speak to the masses, but I was wrong. They felt that we should stop “preaching” from the pulpit and start being more passive and less confrontational. Never mind the fact that Jesus said, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent” (Luke 4:43). But according to many, it’s time to replace the pulpit with a couch and preaching with conversing. Continue reading
In A World of ‘Authentic’ ‘Journeys,’ There’s Always First Things
(Carl Trueman – First Things) One of the sad things about writing my annual contribution to the First Things end-of-year appeal is that there is always some news headline that indicates why the print magazine and its online content are important. And this year is no exception, with the news that a Roman Catholic priest in Wisconsin has come out as gay, to a standing ovation from his parishioners.
Debates about whether or not same-sex attraction is sinful rage on in Christian circles—but that is not what interests me in this story. Rather, I am interested in the blithe way in which many of the present age’s heterodoxies concerning human personhood are widely accepted as normative.
Handling Stress
(Brent Aucoin – Answers In Genesis) Our primary goal in handling life’s pressures is to learn how to depend upon God and please Him, not simply get rid of stresses.
The economy, unemployment, terrorism, politics, finances, moral decline, major sickness, a prodigal child, an unhealthy marriage—for most of us, contemplating any one of these pressures will knot our stomach. We become uneasy and tense. Our soul ceases to be quiet like the still waters but instead becomes deafeningly noisy like a wailing infant. In other words, we are “stressed.”
It’s Christmas! ‘Harry Potter’ Visits ‘The Shack’
Photo credit: Herescope
Who are we going to allow to define God, New Ager Wm. Paul Young and promoter of witchcraft J.K Rowling…or the Lord Jesus Christ? Following is Pastor Larry DeBruyn’s response in a piece he penned for Herescope:
Looks like the concept of “god” in the book and movie The Shack is spreading. Fiction and fantasy have merged. J.K. Rowling, author of the occult Harry Potter series of books, popular reading among even many Christians, has announced that like The Shack, she believes “God is a Black Woman.” (Rowling’s declaration, as well as The Shack‘s fiction, reminds me of The Black Madonna.) Continue reading
Did a False Teacher Heal You?
(Costi Hinn – Defining Deception) A few years ago an excited woman in her 20’s ran up to me one Sunday at church – she was a newer attendee who had been kicking the tires on our church for a few weeks when my last name must have clicked. It’s not like we talk about it every Sunday at Mission Bible – our members don’t really care. We have a lot of important ministry to do and I’m just another one of the pastors. But sometimes it comes out in conversations and you never know what you’re going to get. Angry ex-faith-healer-enthusiast who threatens a shake down if I don’t pay them back what my uncle stole from them? Excited believer who came out of the jaws of deception like me? It’s hit or miss.
Continue reading
Doing Church Away from Church isn’t Church
Church means something specific in the New Testament.
(Eric Davis – The Cripplegate) Maybe you’ve heard it. “We can’t make it to church today, so we’ll just do church as a family.” “I can just do church on a hike this morning in God’s creation.” “The church is really the people, so we can do church wherever. God is everywhere, after all.”
Do we really need to go to a building on a certain day for it to count as doing church? If so, isn’t that legalistic?
Bethel’s house of cards; tarot-rists leading people to Baal/Jezebel by practicing occultism in God’s name
(Churchwatch Central) If the people of Bethel really read their bibles, they would notice that Jesus was very judgmental at times. Consider these words of Jesus to one of the churches in Revelation:
“But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” Revelation 2:20
College Drinking Culture Must Change — Our Kids’ Lives Are at Stake
Our nation’s college students are abusing alcohol and other drugs in ways that threaten their health, their safety, and their academic success.
(Michael A. Fitts – Lifezette) This is the time of year that many college students return home to see family and friends, and to face nosy but well-meaning questions about school. Just as everyone at the holiday table will press them for information, students will be trying to assert some independence.
Does Jesus’ Reference to Eunuchs Affirm Transgender People?
(A. Philip Brown, II Answers In Genesis) In a recent Huffington Post article, Mark Olmstead claims that, according to Jesus, some people are born transgender and that expressing transgender identity behaviorally is no big deal. In Olmstead’s view, people who panic, demonize, or make a fuss about nontraditional categories of gender expression should just “get over it.” To justify his claim, Olmstead appeals to Jesus’ statement regarding eunuchs in Matthew 19:12 (NASB). Specifically, he asserts that the phrase “eunuchs, who were born so from their mother’s womb” may legitimately be understood to include traditional eunuchs, intersex persons, and transgender persons.
Kris Vallotton and Bethel Cannot Escape Link to New Age Occultism
(CRN Editor) Steven Kozar, curator of the Museum of Idolatry, offers proof that Bethel Church of Redding CA is linked to the world of the occult. According to Kozar, Australian couple Ken and Jenny Hodge, founders of Christalignment, “has been following the Bethel methods to a tee.” In Kozar’s story we learn that the couple has been thrown under the bus by Bethel’s Kris Vallotton, Bill Johnson & Company. This story has many twists and turns!
CRN believes that it is important for the Body of Christ to know what goes on at the infamous Bethel Redding — it will curl your hair! So we recommend Steve Kozar’s informative piece over at MoI:
Related: Holy Pivec’s piece “The ‘Christian’ Tarot card controversy at Bethel Redding” includes updates at the bottom. Pivec informs us that “Since writing this a couple of hours ago, I noticed that Christalignment has altered their website descriptions of their Destiny Cards, removing the word “tarot” and making other significant changes to the wording I cited above, including distancing themselves from animal totems and their claim that their cards will certainly predict the future. See screen captures of their original page below and compare it to the current page.”
Should Parents Subscribe to Family-Friendly ‘Christian Netflix’?
Christian Post (CP) has a piece by Leah Marianne Klett urging parents who want to give their families a “clean, uplifting alternative” to the filth Hollywood pumps out to purchase a free one-month trial to PureFlix.com. But is this really a wise choice for Christian parents, as Klett suggests?
In January 2016, she reported on this alleged Christian alternative to Netflix in “Pureflix an arm of dominionist International Coalition of Apostolic Leaders” which we’re reposting for those who may have missed it the first time around, as it’s important for parents to have the facts. As you will see, she actually took the time to research Pure Flix Digital and discovered that the company is part of the New Apostolic Reformation network. Unfortunately some reporters can’t be trusted to do their research, even those who write for popular “Christian” sites such as CP.
So with this background in mind, here’s that report:
Is Christian-themed movie subscription site PureFlix a strategic tool of the New Apostolic Reformation, or does this movie company simply focus on delivering films with a pro-Christian message? I’m about to make a case for the former.
We know that one of the hallmarks of the NAR (New Apostolic Reformation) movement is taking dominion over seven spheres of life on Earth, in order to activate the reign of Jesus’ Kingdom. It’s called the “7 Mountain Mandate,” in which Christians are to dominate and fix business, government, media, education, the family, religion, and arts and entertainment.
Hallmark Christmas movies under fire for spreading ‘Caucasian cheer’
Todd Starnes, host of Fox News and Commentary has the story:
The Hallmark Channel is a throwback to an age when Hollywood produced family-friendly films and love stories that did not involve leather and whips.
The network has earned millions of loyal fans for broadcasting movies that promote the virtues of faith and family — stories that tug at your heartstrings.
“We are a place you can go and feel good,” Bill Abbott, the chief executive of Crown Media, told the Washington Post.
Spiritual Poverty
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:5 ESV)
You may wonder, “What? Do all Christians have to live in complete poverty and not own anything? Do we have to get rid of all of our honor, prestige, and power? What are prosperous people, such as business owners and government officials, supposed to do? Should they sell their possessions and give up their authority in order to buy heaven from the poor?” The answer is no. Scripture doesn’t say that you can buy heaven from the poor. But it does say that you should be counted among the poor and also be spiritually poor. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3)
Dr. R.C. Sproul went home to be with the Lord this afternoon
R. C. Sproul has now completed the good fight, he has finished the course, he has kept the faith. Absent from the body, present with Lord. — Steve Lawson
Beloved theologian R.C. Sproul is with the Lord now. According to Ligonier Ministries:
Dr. R.C. Sproul went home to be with the Lord this afternoon around 3 p.m. surrounded by his wife, Vesta, and family in his hospital room in Altamonte Springs, Fla. He was 78. He died peacefully after being hospitalized twelve days ago due to severe respiratory difficulties exacerbated by the flu and complicated by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Remembering R.C. Sproul, 1939-2017
R.C. Sproul, theologian, pastor, and founder of Ligonier Ministries, died on December 14, 2017, at the age of 78, after being hospitalized due to complications from emphysema. Dr. Sproul is survived by his childhood sweetheart and wife of fifty-seven years, Vesta Ann (Voorhis); their daughter, Sherrie Sproul Dorotiak, and her husband, Dennis; and their son, Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr., and his wife, Lisa. The Sprouls have eleven grandchildren, one granddaughter deceased, and seven great-grandchildren.
R.C. Sproul was a theologian who served the church. He admired the Reformers not only for the content of their message, but for the way they took that message to the people. They were “battlefield theologians,” as he called them. Many first heard of the five solas of the Reformation through R.C. Sproul’s teaching. When R.C. taught about Martin Luther, it was as if he had met the sixteenth-century Reformer. R.C.’s commitment to sola Scriptura led him to play a key role in drafting and advocating for the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy (1978). He also served as president of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy. Because of his commitment to sola fide, justification by faith alone, R.C. took a bold stand of opposition to Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) in 1994. He later opposed the New Perspective on Paul and also the Federal Vision view. Like the Reformers, R.C. was willing to take bold stands for the central and essential doctrines of historic orthodox Christianity. He was a defender of the authority of God’s Word and of the gospel.
Bethelgate – looking under the rug of Bethel administration
A few days ago we posted “Christalignment: Our cards lead the way….into the occult” and reported that a blog calling itself Christalignment uses “destiny cards,” which is just another name for tarot cards, to practice the prophetic. What’s the big deal? Tarot cards are used to tell one’s future. Fortune telling is an occult practice. Occultists believe they are endued with magical or supernatural powers. These folks are into witchcraft, satanism, and other forms of psychic discernment (tarot cards, astrology, seances, Runes, palm reading, teacup reading, etc.). So it is clear that the Christ in Christalignment is the New Age Christ, not the Christ of holy Scripture, as God’s people are not to participate in occult practices such as “destiny card” reading. (Deut. 18:10)
In a piece entitled “Charismatics Now Using ‘Christian’ Tarot Cards” Pulpit & Pen reported Bethel Church’s association with Christalignment by claiming that “some associated with Bethel Church in Redding, California – are engaging in what is essentially tarot card reading.” Bethel leader Kris Vallotton came out with a Facebook post denying the charge. Although Vallotton denies it, Churchwatch Central says his statement is misleading. In this article, CWC reveals that Bethel is fully aware of this tarot card ministry:
After denying the charge, Bethel was exposed for promoting necromancy, in the form of what is known as ‘grave-sucking’. Now Bethel and their leadership claim they are not responsible for promoting New Age occultism in the form of ‘tarot card readings’. This article refutes well known Bethel leader Kris Vallotton’s claims that this fringe group (Christalignment) does not represent Bethel. This article reveals Vallotton’s statement is very misleading.
List of important Christians to follow on social media (not). Plus, ridiculous books
According to Elizabeth Prata of The End Time “many of these people on the list teach not immature and temporary error, but permanently damning heresy.” Three examples are Rick Warren, Steven Furtick and Christine Caine. Clearly, the woman who put together this list has zip, zero, nada discernment. See who else is included on Crosswalk’s list of important Christians you should follow:
Crosswalk Ministry recently posted a story titled 20 Important Christians You Should Follow on Social Media. Crosswalk.com’s About says,
Crosswalk.com aims to offer the most compelling biblically-based content to Christians on their walk with Jesus. Crosswalk.com is your online destination for all areas of Christian Living – faith, family, fun, and community.
After seeing the list of “important” Christians you should follow, Crosswalk should not be your destination for anything. Why? Most of their list is populated by false teachers. Sadly, the author of this list states that she is a teacher/leader at her church. It is apparent that the author lacks discernment, which is terrible for a church teacher/leader. It’s clear that the publication’s editors lack discernment, too, because they allowed it to be published.
How are we to regard Michael Brown, Todd White and other NAR leaders?
From Berean Research:
A few day ago we posted Michael Brown has been WHITE-washed and urged our visitors to share Churchwatch Central’s (CWC) piece. CWC continues their exposé on NAR charismatic apologist Dr. Michael Brown. In their latest blog post they give an explanation of the false Kenotic Jesus of the NAR. Briefly, the kenosis theory states that while He was on earth Jesus gave up some of His divine attributes. This theory is not taught in the Bible. What the Bible does teach is that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully man. As a man on earth, Jesus did not give up any of His divine attributes (Col 2:9).
Once again we urge our visitors to share CWC’s piece:
Todd White, Michael Brown, Mike Bickle, Heidi Baker, Bill Johnson, John Wimber, C. Peter Wagner and many other top NAR Apostles may need to be seriously considered worse than demons. This sounds like an outrageous statement.
But why even say such an ‘unloving’ thing?
5 Most Ridiculous Books to Ever Become Christian Bestsellers
Blogger, author, and book reviewer Tim Challies reveals what he considers the 5 most ridiculous books that Christians purchased, loved and passed on to their friends, starting with The Prayer of Jabez. Watch the vlog or read the transcript:
If you were to scan the lists of the best selling Christian books of all time you’d see some truly amazing books there. You’d see some books that have helped us better understand who God is and books that have instructed us. and how we as Christians can live lives of obedience to Him, and like you, I’m genuinely thankful for these books. Sadly though, you’d also see some truly flat-out awful books. Today I’ve narrowed down that list to the five most ridiculous books to ever become Christian bestsellers.
Christalignment: Our Cards lead the way….into the world of the occult
Christalignment, which has no connection whatsoever to the Lord Jesus Christ, uses “destiny cards” (tarot cards), some with Bible themes, to practice the prophetic. For those who are interested in a reading:
Team members can be booked individually for deep consultations, healing, spiritual readings, & spirit cleansing.
According to these frauds, the artists who design the cards are prophetic:
That means that as intuitive readers themselves and artists able to connect with spirit [demons] their art work carries meaning and power to change lives. Each painting has been done through connection to the third heaven realm.
The third heaven is the dwelling place of God.
More…
Our unique Love Destiny cards, which we have developed, are so accurate, that even if your life circumstances change dramatically, on your return to do them again years later, you will find the results identical, such is their accuracy.They are able to give profound insight into relationships, career and spiritual life.
Sadly, there are many people, including professing Christians, who actually buy into fortune telling. Using cards to tell one’s future is no different than gazing into a crystal ball or doing a teacup reading (looking at shapes formed by tea leaves after a cup of tea has been consumed) to see what the future holds.
What does the LORD say about this sort of thing:
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this (Deuteronomy 18:10-14). (emphases added)
A video is provided at the end that shows a woman explaining to a potential client what he can expect during a reading.
Be sure to check out Berean Research’s White Paper on Occult-Sorcery
Our Pagan Children
From Berean Research:
What is the specific goal of paganism? According to Dr. Peter Jones, it is for our sexual identities to merge into an androgynous being. Those in our society who embrace this sort of nonsense are having great success in pushing their bizarre ideas on innocent children. Through public education, the entertainment industry, the liberal news media and the books youngsters read, they’re becoming indoctrinated into the pagan belief that gender differences don’t exist — humans are non-binary beings.
Dr. Jones skillfully explains what’s going on in our culture in his latest blog post over at truthXchange. He writes:
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6). For centuries, this biblical wisdom has reassured Christian parents—until now. Our culture is pushing an increasingly pagan worldview on our Christian children. About 75% of evangelical children abandon their faith after a year or two of college. But college-age men and women should at least know enough to resist! It gets worse: our young, tender little ones are now on the front lines.
Michael Brown has been WHITE-washed?
From Berean Research:
Churchwatch Central (CWC) begins with this statement: “We know that James White would not preach or tolerate a different Jesus, a different gospel or embrace a different spirit” which was followed by a question. But we’re going to ask the same question in a slightly different manner than CWC’s asked it, so here goes: Why in blue blazes would an acclaimed Christian apologist come out in support of a man who, without apology, promotes and befriends wolves in sheep’s clothing?
In their piece, CWC reveals who some of the wolves are. One name you’ll recognize from reading our False Teacher Alerts is the Pope of the NAR movement, C. Peter Wagner, who held the lofty title “ICA Presiding Apostle.” After his death last year Che Ahn became his successor. Other names mentioned are self-professed “Super Apostles” Bill Johnson and Rick Joyner, both of whom Dr. Brown endorses. Brown has also gone to bat for soothsayer Jennifer LeClaire, says he approves of the Pied Piper of IHOP-KC Mike Bickle, uber false prophet Jonathan Cahn and a number of others who are just as wolfy as these folks are.
In their must read and share piece, CWC presents the reasons the Body of Christ should be deeply concerned about James White’s approval and support of Michael Brown: