Commentary, analysis and opinion.

Handling Stress

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(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.” View article →

It’s Christmas! ‘Harry Potter’ Visits ‘The Shack’

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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?

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(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

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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?

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Bethel’s house of cards; tarot-rists leading people to Baal/Jezebel by practicing occultism in God’s name

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(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

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College Drinking Culture Must Change — Our Kids’ Lives Are at Stake

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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. View article →

Does Jesus’ Reference to Eunuchs Affirm Transgender People?

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(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.

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Kris Vallotton and Bethel Cannot Escape Link to New Age Occultism

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(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:  View article →

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’?

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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.

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Hallmark Christmas movies under fire for spreading ‘Caucasian cheer’

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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.

View article →

Spiritual Poverty

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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) View article →

Dr. R.C. Sproul went home to be with the Lord this afternoon

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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. View article →

Bethelgate – looking under the rug of Bethel administration

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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.

View article →

List of important Christians to follow on social media (not). Plus, ridiculous books

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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.

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How are we to regard Michael Brown, Todd White and other NAR leaders?

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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?

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5 Most Ridiculous Books to Ever Become Christian Bestsellers

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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.

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Christalignment: Our Cards lead the way….into the world of the occult

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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. View article →

Be sure to check out Berean Research’s White Paper on Occult-Sorcery

Our Pagan Children

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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.

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Michael Brown has been WHITE-washed?

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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:

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Hollywood Planning New ‘Code Of Conduct’ That’s Much Less Rapey

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Jazz Shaw of Hot Air reports on Tinseltown’s “code of conduct” that has just been issued. She has a lot to say about Hellywood’s (not a typo) rich and famous who actually stand up and applaud a convicted child rapist who won a coveted Oscar in 2003. Shaw provides a video of the event, which is nauseating to watch:

There’s been some movement toward more transparency and less tolerance of sexual harassment in Washington, but what about Hollywood? That’s where all of this started, after all. In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations (along with too many others to list at this point), the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences – the people who bring you the Oscars – has drafted a new code of conduct. One might assume that the 21st century version is going to include some guidance about not raping your employees. (USA Today)

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Evangelical Alliances of Italy, Spain and Malta denounce ‘ecumenical agenda’ of the WEA

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According Evangelical Focus (EF), the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) is attempting to move toward a “greater oneness” with the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. EF reports that “The historic positions on biblical unity (among born-again Christians) and biblical confrontation of errors (deviant teachings and practices) that the [World Evangelical] Alliance has stood for over a hundred years seem now to be eroded and replaced by ecumenical attitudes that revolve around a kind of ‘unity’ that is in conflict with historic evangelical convictions”, the signatories say.”

More on this story over at EF:

The historic positions on biblical unity and biblical confrontation of errors that the Alliance has stood for over a hundred years seem now to be eroded and replaced by ecumenical attitudes”. World Evangelical Alliance responds: “The concerns raised are being taken very seriously”.

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Inside America’s Largest Religious Revival You Know Nothing About

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The religion Heather Smith is talking about has become mainstream.  According to Smith “youngsters apparently love this imparted faith enough that they simply cannot help trying to absorb everything about it that they can, and they especially find pleasure in learning of the great heroes of…the past, whom they inevitably long to emulate.”

Studies show that there’s been a steady decline of religion in America. Smith reveals which religion is alive and well in her piece over at The Federalist:

For decades, demographic studies have indicated the steady decline of religion in America, but new measures suggest that, on the contrary, at least one religion in America is alive and well, thriving in every community, and claiming devoted adherents in nearly every household.

This new religious revival has remained under the radar in large part because its adherents do not claim any religious attachment to this social institution, but by every measure of behaviors typically associated with religion, it is deceitful to label it as anything less. Although it shies away from adopting an overarching organization or name for itself, for the purposes of this study, it will be considered under the name Athletica.

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Watch this Video of a Glory Cloud. Also…What is a Glory Cloud?

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Some charismatics believe that something called a “glory cloud‘ is real and that this sort of thing is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. So if you’ve not yet seen God manifest his glory in a shower of glitter–oops!–gold dust floating down from the ceiling of a charismatic church, watch the video.  Pulpit & Pen News has the story:

What is a “glory cloud?” For starters, the only people who talk about the phenomenon of a “glory cloud” are charismatics. The term has been popularized in recent years, and so much so, that the term is often deployed with little to no explanation. The first time I heard the word was when Prophet Ray Martin interrupted his revival service to tell me he had seen my wallet go up into one. Since then, I’ve heard the term many more times.

The first known claim of an appearance of a so-called “glory cloud” is from Word-Faith founder, Kenneth Hagin. He recalled the following experience…

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A Pox Upon Our House: Three Chronic Diseases Plaguing Women’s Ministry

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Bible study author, speaker and blogger Michelle Lesley examines women’s ministries. According to Lesley, women’s groups aren’t nearly as effective as they could be for a umber of reasons. For example, because many women hardly ever read and study their bibles they’re biblically illiterate. In other words, they know not what they believe and why they believe it; thus, they get caught up in fads and false teaching — and that’s a fact.

Lesley not only tells us what the problems plaguing women’s ministries are, she’s written a prescription for the cure. And by the way, men’s ministries aren’t immune to some of the ills that plague women’s ministries. Men are also susceptible to fads and false teaching.

“What’s the number one problem in women’s ministry today?”

It’s a question I was recently asked in an interview; one I can’t get off my mind. There are many good and wonderful things I see trending in women’s ministry, which are creating an increasing number of biblically strong, godly Christian women. But those women are still a tiny minority – a remnant, you might say – in contemporary evangelicalism. The problems, on the other hand? Overwhelming. Discouraging. Pervasive.

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Religious Liberty Case Is Not about Refusing to Serve People ‘Because of Who They Are’

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Amy K. Hall of Stand to Reason explains what the case is really about:

Today, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. I recommend you read this article by David French to clear up a major misconception about the case that’s being promoted out there. The article responds to a New York Times opinion piece that completely misunderstands the case, claiming it’s about denying people services “because of who they are.” (See here and here for more responses to this common mistake.)

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