As Harvest Christian Fellowship joins Southern Baptist Convention, some question future of Greg Laurie’s church

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According to The Orange County Register:

Harvest Christian Fellowship will be joining the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant body with about 15 million members. The Rev. Greg Laurie, pastor and founder of the 15,000-member Harvest and its Harvest Crusades, announced the move in June.

Some theologians see this as Laurie’s official shift toward mainstream evangelicalism and worry that Riverside-based Harvest could be overshadowed by the denomination. Laurie has been seen as one of the biggest crusaders of Calvary Chapel, an association of evangelical Christian churches to which Harvest belongs. Calvary was born as a movement away from religious denominations.

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Self-Deceived Godliness

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

 

14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:14-22 (NASB) 

The number one disturbing attribute of the leaders of Compromised Church is their rock-hard “conviction” that they are doing what God wants them to do in spite of overwhelming Biblical evidence that they are not. The measure of success or failure in business is profitability. It is that bottom line in the company ledger that reveals whether a company is on the right path or not. Unfortunatly, the Compromised Church leaders have taken the ways of the world and integrated them into their method of “doing church.” Church leader success is now measured in how well the church is managed. Is the church growing? If not, there must be something wrong. That church up the street started meeting in the library just a couple of years ago and now they are three times the size of our church. Their new building looks like a cathedral! What have they done right that we have not? We need to find out what their formula is and make it work for us. View article →

Keeping Freedom, and Growth, in the Fourth

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

The government works for us, not the other way around.

By Larry Kudlow

What is the Fourth of July? It’s a wonderful time. We’re outdoors. We’re with family and friends. We’re playing golf or fishing. There are barbecues and baseball and fireworks and all that good stuff. And beneath it all, supporting it all, there is freedom. Freedom. The Fourth of July is about freedom, if nothing else. America’s freedom, of course. But a freedom that extends to all people. One that leads to greatness and prosperity. A freedom that has become the backbone of the world. I would like to take a moment this holiday to revisit the sources of that freedom. They were outlined so eloquently in perhaps the greatest document ever written, the Declaration of Independence. And they’re as crucial now as they were 241 years ago. It’s a well-known story. Back in 1776, the Continental Congress sought freedom from tyranny. They said, “We’re revolting against a British monarchy and parliament that doesn’t represent us. We’re rebelling against laws we don’t control and are capricious to say the least.”

To formalize this revolt, the congress formed a committee of five. Chosen were Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingstone (New Jersey), John Adams, Ben Franklin, and Roger Sherman (Connecticut). A pretty spiffy group of thinkers and writers. Their task was to draft a statement of independence — although what they came up with was so much more. Their document, “The Unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,” was adopted on July 4, 1776, after days of debate and revision. The document begins: “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

I’d like to underscore the civility of that opening. This document is an example of civility. The great American revolt was a defense of the right of discussion. Civil discourse. Respectful disagreement.

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Dr. Michael Brown Says Friends Mike Bickle and Lou Engle ‘True Men of God’ (Reprise)

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In 2014 the late Ken Silva expressed his concern over Dr. Michael Brown’s promotion of NAR false teachers Mike Bickle (who was recently permanently disqualified) and Lou Engle. CRN is re-posting a blog post he wrote as a reminder that Dr. Brown has been criticized for his connection to and defense of wolves in sheep’s clothing for quite sometime. “The point of this piece,” stated Silva, “is simply to archive and document this for you because the pages containing these kinds of admissions often seem to vanish.”  No surprise there. “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:20

Ken Silva did a brilliant job of exposing and documenting the wicked things people do. With this backdrop in place, here’s Ken’s article:

Concerning Mike Bickle, the International House Of Prayer’s false Kansas City prophet and purveyor of New Apostolic Reformation/Latter Rain doctrine, Apprising Ministries recently told you that Francis Chan Is Wrong For Endorsing NAR Teacher Mike Bickle.

Then yesterday I pointed out that Dr. Michael Brown, host of The Line of Fire radio program and widely respected theologian in many charismatic circles, has come to the defense of the indefensible: Dr. Michael Brown Defends Word Faith Heretic Benny Hinn.

That post featured Brown’s spirited Twitter exchange with Steve Camp, pastor-teacher of The  Cross Church, who correctly took Brown to task for his conduct on the television program of Benny Hinn. It’s beyond question that Hinn’s a notorious Word Faith (WF) preacher.

Yet on Facebook Brown had already posted the following: Let’s just say that Benny Hinn was as bad as some of you say. Why shouldn’t I reach his audience with gospel truth for five days, even if it means some people will be upset with me? (Just more food for discussion!) (source)

It would seem from this that Michael Brown doesn’t believe Benny Hinn is “as bad as” critics e.g. like Watchman Fellowship have previously pointed out. ((http://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/bennyhinnprofile.pdf, accessed 1/14/14.)) Well, here’s a clip from Benny Hinn’s You Tube page published this past December 24 featuring Hinn with so-called “prophetess” Juanita Bynum.

Hinn’s intro to this video tells us:

Bynum has become an example of inspiration, hope, and new life to men and women around the world. She has turned her humble beginnings into an inspirational and philanthropic empire for educating, equipping and empowering people from all walks of life.

Her bestselling books include Matters of the Heart, My Spiritual Inheritance, Threshing Floor, and No More Sheets. On this powerful broadcast, Dr. Bynum reveals the fresh word that God has been showing her about the coming days. Get ready to feel the igniting of your heart as you hear about promotion, favor, and increase during 2014! (source)

Watch as Hinn marvels at WF flake Bynum’s absolute spiritual gibberish concerning the “anointed” prayer shawls he’s selling offering. You tell me if Hinn’s changed. I personally think it’s sad that Dr. Michael Brown apparently can’t see through hucksters like Benny Hinn:

Video removed [mejsvideo src=”https://www.apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/BHinnBynum2013.mp4″ width=640 height=360]

But this video still remains:  Watch the moment Benny hinn prayed for Juanita Bynum to receive the prophetic ??

Unfortunately, you’re about to see that it gets even worse for whatever credibility Brown may have left. He also wanted us to know that his NAR dominionist friends Mike Bickle of IHOP and Lou Engle of TheCall are preachers to follow and that the Brownsville Revival was a true move of God:

I know it’s late, but for those of you who are still up, here’s a quick question (meant honestly): How many of you are fine with my friendship with men like Mike Bickle, Lou Engle, and Reinhard Bonnke (whom I believe to be true men of God), and my involvement in and endorsement of the Brownsville Revival (which I believe to be a wonderful move of the Spirit), but you’re just concerned about my appearing on Benny Hinn’s TV show? (source)

The point of this piece is simply to archive and document this for you because the pages containing these kinds of admissions often seem to vanish. So, in closing this for now, for more information on false prophet/quasi-apostle Mike Bickle I refer you to the Mike Bickle – I.H.O.P. page of Apostasy Watch (no longer online).

As it concerns Bickle, who’s now crossing over into the mainstream, Christian apologist Bob DeWaay has already informed us:

IHOP president and director Mike Bickle…claims that Jesus cannot return until something drastically changes in the church: “He is not coming any day. He is not coming until the people of God globally are crying out in intercession with a bridal identity under the anointing of the Spirit.” If you do not understand what he means by that it is likely because you have read the Bible literally and have never found anything regarding a special anointing that imparts a revelation of a “bridal identity.”

In fact, much of Bickle’s terminology will be strange and foreign to most Christians… Bickle’s movement is based on allegorized scripture, deeper life pietism, and mysticism, representing a slightly modified version of the heretical Latter Rain movement of the 1940s. Bickle claims that he began his ministry through the hearing of an audible voice of God in 1983 that told him to start 24-hour prayer in the spirit of the tabernacle of David.

He further claims that he erected a sign to that effect and that he himself did not even know what prayer in the spirit of the tabernacle of David was, despite that God had told him to establish it. It turns out that it is “prophetic singing prayers.” Once they figured out what it was, IHOP was born. (source)

The Significance of Youth-Filled Stadiums: Revisiting the Old Latter Rain Prophecy in Light of Current Events from Herescope is a good place to get started with what NAR Apostle Lou Engle is about. You may recall I showed you Engle is also moving closer to the mainstream as well in Louie Giglio, Passion 2013, And Jesus Culture.

Here’s an example of Lou Engle in action from August of last year. Notice that this false prophet of the New Apostolic Reformation is with spiritual wingnut Patricia King:

Video removed [mejsvideo src=”https://www.apprising.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Engle.mp4″ width=640 height=360]

But there’s this video: False NAR Prophet Lou Engle w/Patricia King of XP Media

Finally, G. Richard Fisher and M. Kurt Goedelman of Personal Freedom Outreach will fill you in on The Murky River of Brownsville: The Strange Doctrine of the Pensacola Revival (no longer available). It’s important to note that Dr. Michael Brown was a leader in ((http://www.fire-school.org/author/drmlbrown/, accessed 1/14/14.)) as well as an apologist for, this so-called revival. ((http://www.equip.org/articles/the-counterfeit-revival-part-three/, accessed 1/14/14.))

While these spiritual shenanigans  were still going on [circa 1997] Fisher and Goedelman brought out:

Within Pentecostal circles in the early 1900s and beyond, “Azusa Street” became a catch phrase describing what some regarded as a powerhouse move of God. Now, nearly a century later, recent events at an Assembly of God church in Florida’s panhandle are receiving similar fanfare…

This “revival” is being heralded as “A River is Flowing” and a place to “meet the God of the Universe face to face.” Praise for it has even been proclaimed from the very top of the denomination [the AoG] that represents the largest body of Pentecostals…

There are two dominant human agents of the revival. The first includes the pastor of the Brownsville congregation, the Reverend John Kilpatrick… The second key player in Pensacola is the Reverend Stephen Hill who is ordained as a Missionary Evangelist with the Assemblies of God…

Despite the warnings against those with critical spirits, the Brownsville team strives to at least present a veneer that their doctrine and practice are biblical. Hill recently stated:

“We have a theologian, by the way, on our staff. Michael Brown, who is a theologian. He debates rabbis all over the world. Those of you who have a problem about anything write Michael Brown, Brownsville Assembly. He’ll blow you away, friend. He’ll give you Scripture for everything that’s going on. But I don’t have to have a Scripture every time a man’s hand twitches. I’m sorry, if you’ve got to have a Scripture if a man’s hand twitches.”

In spite of Hill’s challenge, members of the Brownsville staff are not always able to provide an answer for what they say from the pulpit… Is this a “revival” to end all “revivals” — the mother of all revivals? Its doctrine and practice says simply that it is the Church tapping into a new emotionalism and new heights of mysticism, the paranormal and entopic phenomenon. (source)

Someone needs to explain to Dr. Michael Brown that slander refers to the spoken word; libel concerns the written word. Unfortunately for him, he will have no success trying to refute the factual information I’ve presented above:

Brown-Silva (source)

You should also know that in The Raging River Of Brownsville: PFO Responds to Michael L. Brown’s Attack of the Critics of the Pensacola Revival (no longer available) Fisher and Goedelman would later engage with Brown’s critique of Brownsville critics. What they wrote is really rather revealing:

Dr. Michael L. Brown rightly could be called the critic of the critics. His nickname of “knock ‘em down Brown” (acquired a number of years ago by his ability to “slay in the Spirit”) could easily be retooled to describe his response to the critics of the Pensacola-based church where he is resident theologian.

He is super-critical of anyone who expresses more fault than flattery of the purported revival and its manifestations occurring at the Brownsville Assembly of God in Florida. Brown’s book, Let No One Deceive You, is just one of the many items being promoted and marketed as a result of this “latter-day revival.”

In it he suggests that the doctrine and practice of the “Pensacola Outpouring” is biblical and of God. However, some of the troublesome things, like the false declarations of Pastor John Kilpatrick and Evangelist Stephen Hill and the bizarre manifestations, are conveniently passed or glossed over.

Brown is harsh and combative, to say the least, and is a mirror image of Brownsville’s harsher critics. In reality, his tone far exceeds that of most of the critics of the alleged “outpouring.” Name-calling and damnation, absent from the vast majority of revival evaluations, are readily present in Brown’s writing…

Let No One Deceive You is saturated with insulting language. Critics are referred to in the Preface as “critical, religious, fault-finding, ministry nobodies.”… Brown has a way of turning Scripture on its head. He takes a perspective and then makes the Bible conform to it. (source)

As one who was saved in a charismatic church, and has been documenting for you evangelicalism’s move away from sola Scriptura, I can tell you that this would all be par for the course. Too many people today are running around claiming direct revelations from God and then making Scripture conform to their fickle feelings.

Ken Silva’s 2014 article is published here.

CRN has compiled a list of false teachers and several other professing Christians we’ve warned you about over the years. The list also contains those we must keep an eye on plus movements, organizations and “frauds, phonies and money-grubbing religious quacks” to mark and avoid as per Romans 16:17-18 such as those mentioned in the article.

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C3 San Diego pastor endorses ‘The Shack’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

Why this warning, why this article? A few days ago Jurgen Matthesius, senior pastor of C3 San Diego, announced his support for “The Shack” in an Instagram. Over the years Churchwatch Central has done a stellar job warning the sheep about dangerous sects and movements that claim to be Christian including C3 churches. In their latest report they included a piece by noted Christian apologist Matt Slick where he details why the blockbuster book and movie must be avoided at all costs:

“There is a famine in the land, and Christian discernment is dying.  The book “The Shack” is a feel-good fictional story about a man named Mack whose daughter is murdered.  Mack subsequently has an encounter with God in a shack in the woods, and through this meeting, he’s healed emotionally and spiritually.  Sound good?  Of course it does.  The only problem is the many false doctrines laced throughout the book.

Instead of describing God as the Majestic Supreme Being that He is, The Shack dumbs Him down and reshapes Him into a feel-good figure.  God the Father who, according to the Bible, cannot be seen (John 6:46; 1 Tim. 6:16), appears in the form of an African-American woman named “papa” (p. 86–talk about gender confusion) who has scars on his wrist (p. 95).  Wrong!  The Father was not crucified.  Jesus is presented as a Middle Easterner wearing a plaid shirt with rolled up sleeves (p. 84).  The Holy Spirit appears as an Asian woman (p. 85).  The Shack’s author, Mr. Young, justifies these false representations under the rubric of literary license and says it is only fiction.  Okay, but does that mean it is alright to refer to God in a way that is in direct contradiction to Scripture?  No, it does not.  God has chosen to reveal Himself without gender confusion in the man Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5), but The Shack doesn’t stop with flamboyant reconstructions of God.

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Texas Supreme Court Rules ‘Spouses’ of Homosexual Govt Workers Not Clearly Entitled to Benefits

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Christian News has the story:

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that the 2015 Supreme Court same-sex “marriage” decision did not clearly state whether the “spouses” of homosexual government workers are entitled to benefits. “The Supreme Court held in Obergefell that the Constitution requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriages to the same extent that they license and recognize opposite-sex marriages, but it did not hold that states must provide the same publicly funded benefits to all married persons,” Justice Jeffrey Boyd wrote on behalf of the panel. “Of course, that does not mean … that the city may constitutionally deny benefits to its employees’ same-sex spouses,” he added. “Those are the issues that this case now presents.”

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The Drama Of Redemption

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 13:5).

There can be little doubt that in this passage Jesus is deliberately working out a parable for the instruction of His disciples. He is dramatizing for them the truth of His own ministry, of His own redemptive mercy. He is showing them by this means what He had come into the world to do. You can trace the parallel in the events that John records: First, Jesus rose from supper, just as He had previously risen from His throne of glory. Then He laid aside His garments. Paul tells us that He laid aside His glory when He came into the world in the incarnate state. He laid aside the exercise of His own deity. He did not come to act as God; He came to act as man indwelt by God (see Philippians 2:5-11).  View article →

The Carnal Christian

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

“For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?” (1 Cor. 3:3b).

As we continue our discussion of topics related to perseverance, we come to a discussion about the “carnal” Christian. Proponents of carnal Christianity assert that it is possible to trust in Christ as Savior without necessarily confessing Christ as Lord. According to advocates of this position, a person is saved if they confess Christ, even if they never live, or even care about, a life of obedience to Him as Lord.

This position marks a significant innovation in the history of Christian theology. Even those of us who deny the meritorious nature of good works, affirm their necessity in the Christian life. Advocates of carnal Christianity charge that if we affirm that good works are necessary in the life of the believer, they assert that we necessarily deny that justification is by faith alone.   View article →

A platform for porn and a dialogue with the devil

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

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

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

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According to Christian News:

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

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Pentagon Halts Obama’s Transgender Endorsement Plan

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Breitbart reports:

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

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

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

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The Modern Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

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

Michael Moore’s Fourth of July Plans Are Horrible

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

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

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

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

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

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NAR Apostle Bill Johnson explaining Apostolic Teams and Spiritual Fathering

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

From Churchwatch Central:

Bill Johnson writes:

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

[…] Bill Johnson:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ ,

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

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

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If Jesus Christ is your Lord then you were bought with a price

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. 22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:20-24 NASB)

During the ministries of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles there was a full understanding of the nature of slavery. It dominated their culture. Therefore, we must take that into account when we read from God’s Word the true nature of our “personal relationship” with our Lord. The Greek word for Lord or Master is Κύριον or Kurios. This title describes Jesus Christ as Lord in the sense of being the owner, possessor, or master. Some may teach that Christians can be genuine without Christ being their Lord, but that concept is alien to the Bible. We do not make Christ Lord of our lives my brethren. No, He is Lord of all those whom He bought with the price of His precious blood. View article →

Kris Vallotton ‘You are gods’

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

From Berean Research:

Photo credit Christian Research Service

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

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

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Austrailian Police Charge Vatican Cardinal With Sex Offenses

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Associated Press reports:

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

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

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Outer Darkness, the Fiery Furnace, the Lake of Fire, and Hell

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

12 “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. Revelation 22:12-15 (NASB) 

Spiritual blindness is a wonder to behold. Those false prophets who profess to be Christian while loving and teaching the doctrines of demons have been given over to their sin by our God. Their consciences have been seared and no matter how adamantly we tell them the truth and prove it by showing them what the Word of God teaches, they cling to their false doctrines while stopping up their ears like rebellious children. The proponents of what has come to be called “Christian Universalism” love their false doctrine, which teaches that the Lake of Fire, for instance, is not real or it is only temporary regardless of the Word of God clearly saying the opposite. View article →

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

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

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

Now to Holly’s piece:

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

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

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

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

Now to Sanchez’s report:

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

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

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

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Study: Networks Devote 55 Percent of Trump Coverage to Russia

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , ,

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

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

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

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

 

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

Posted by ∙ ∙ In News ∙ , , ,

According to CNSNews:

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

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

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

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The Road to Emmaus

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching

1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” Luke 24:1-7 (NASB) 

Secularism is a humanistic philosophy that many contend is the driving force behind the collapse of the Christian World View with it being replaced with that of Secular Humanism. This view contends that there is no possibility of any person knowing or finding absolute truth. It demands that all religions be considered equal with each relinquishing its claims of exclusivity. In the visible Church, many professing Christians are secular in their personal philosophy. Since Secularism removes the possibility of absolutes it follows that its proponents must doubt the Bible’s display of the miracles and the supernatural as proof of the deity of Christ for example. It separates Christianity from the sacred and holy and the miraculous. This separation leaves Christianity as just another World Religion. It relegates it to little more than an institution of good works to improve society. View article →