Jesus Culture is More Dangerous than Abortion

"This is a far more important issue than even abortion...These are false prophets who are ushering people into hell.." (Phil Johnson, Executive Director, Grace to You radio program). 

The Passion Conference: Judah Smith Glorifies ...Judah Smith

From part 3 of a 3-part series on the 2013 Passion Conference:

"...Before sending your child off to a conference that calls itself Christian, look into the people who are going to be filling your child's mind. Those who claim Jesus may not be all that sterling of a role model as you would want. 

Overall, I took away that what was taught to the young adults at Passion 2013 was that visions are normal and to be expected. If you're not having visions and hearing God's voice speaking to you personally, something is wrong with you. Topically addressing the scripture in a skeleton context while filling the rest of the time with personal anecdotes and description of ecstatic experience is a sermon. What we experience in ecstatic mode is to be preferred to diligent study of the word. In other words, the bible is OK, but visions are better. The world's social ills can be fixed with zeal and money. Plus, fixing the world's social ills with zeal and money should be the purpose of my life. A real faith includes volume, excitement, drama, and surfing from one high encounter with God to the next....
I have been blogging a discernment series on what was taught at the Passion 2013 conference held in Atlanta this January. There was a star studded Christian lineup of speakers and singers at the conference. Unfortunately, that did not guarantee that the Word was handled correctly. Much was taught that was heretical. What was not overtly heretical was implicitly denigrating of preaching, the bible, and church as an organization. I had done an examination of the lead singer for Jesus Culture in part 1, and looked at what Louie Giglio said in part 2. Those links are below. All was balanced against what the bible says.

In this part I'll present a bare bones synopsis of what Judah Smith said, and then conclude lower down.

Judah Smith talked with the kids at Passion 2013. It is all the rage these days to pooh-pooh doctrine. To mock religion. William Young did it in The Shack, writing,

--the dusty old King James Bible
--church attendance is "religious conditioning"
--“Images of family devotions from his childhood came spilling into his mind, not exactly good memories 
--"God’s voice had been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellect"

The cumulative effect of these subtle denigrations of what Jesus holds dear have an effect. In this piece, Smith is talking about Genesis 1, "Let us make man in our image." He denigrated traditional Christianity, too. He said--

"For those of you who are not scholars, you are wondering who's "Us" and who's "Our"? God, I know this is awkward, but who are you talking to? I suppose you could create an alter-ego, but really, who are you talking to, God? ... For those of you who are so scholarly and have been around church forever, you say, [he makes his voice a sing-song nasal so the mocking quality would become evident] "Clearly that is a a reference to the triune Godhead." For the rest of us that watch NFL games and have a real life, it's a bit [garbled]."

There are several messages here just in this short snippet, and none have anything to do with proper biblical understanding or preaching. Smith taught 60,000 kids that--

--If you've 'been around church forever' you're not a respected elder. You're outdated deadwood.
--Proper study is not to be desired or you risk being branded a "scholar". In my day they were called disciples.
--Studying the bible and going to church means you don't have a 'real life'. 
--It is cool to mock the brethren

He also said, 

--Without community our world will not see God
--Trusting leadership is not easy (reminds me of the secular revolutionary mantra from hippie 1960s 'don't trust anyone over 30')
--Going to a local place where people know you is not easy (he rarely says "church") 
--Jesus is building something. He is not just here just to individually save people.

Parents, is that what you want your child learning? That leaders are hard to trust and church isn't real life? That is what these people are teaching. Before sending your child off to a conference that calls itself Christian, look into the people who are going to be filling your child's mind. Those who claim Jesus may not be all that sterling of a role model as you would want.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Discerning a Gnostic conference called "Passion 2013," Louie Giglio

from part two of a three-part series on the "Passion 2013" conference

Louie Giglio is a 54 year old pastor of Pastor of Passion City Church in the Atlanta area which he founded in 2008. Prior to that Giglio was a pastor at Andy Stanley's North Point Church for 13 years, itself an emergent-leaning church with a mystical bent. He is Speaker/Founder of the Passion Movement. The Passion Movement is most publicly seen in the large conferences held at the first of each year and is so named after the year. Passion 2013 just concluded this week in Atlanta, Georgia. TheAtlanta paper reported that 60,000 youths attended.

Mr Giglio's main ministry began in and continues to be aimed at Christian youth- especially college aged students through young adult.

More than 170,000 people from more than 130 countries watched part of the Passion 2013 conference online. His "Laminin" sermon has attracted over 3 million views on Youtube. If you would like another take on the Giglio laminin sermon, I point you to the essay Laminin and the Cross at the science-oriented website Answers in Genesis, where we are specifically cautioned against looking for signs in the world OR in science via Mr Giglio's laminin doctrine.

This blogger had this to say about the Inadequacies of Evidentialism(i.e. 'Laminin proof'):

And though I would imagine his ministry has been a blessing to many folks over the years, he is one of those type of speakers who will sensationalize Christian "evidences," like the laminin molecule, in order to make God appear to be really cool and neat-o. But this misappropriation of Christian evidence has some hidden dangers that will undo your credibility as a messenger for God.

First, it capitulates to the culture, particularly the teen culture who already think being a Christian is "squaresville." Though there is good intentions with the attempt to show that believing in Jesus doesn't make a person an "L7," what happens when smug and surly Devon goes home after one of these Giglio conferences where he opines on the shape of the laminin molecule, does an internet search only to discover that Giglio exaggerated his proof? All that shows is Christians can lie.

Secondly, the illustration merely trivializes the Gospel. Honestly, does the laminin molecule have to look like a cross in order for God to be a perfect creator? How does a cross shaped molecule help God out exactly? How does it make God more real? Isn't the fact that there is a complex, self-replicating molecule to begin with proof enough for God's hand in all of life?

I agree.

So the statistics show us that Pastor Giglio is popular and has influence. The facts show that his most famous sermon is a bit off-center and exaggerated, with a wrong emphasis. With such numbers it behooves us to take a look at what he is preaching to these multitudes of youth, many of whom reside in my own state of Georgia.

The Passion 2013 website says "At the heart of it all, Passion exists to see a generation stake their lives on what matters most. For us, that's the fame of the One who rescues and restores, and the privilege we have to fully leverage our lives by amplifying His name in everything we do."

This is something I have read frequently that Giglio and the people associated with Giglio say. It is that what they do is for the fame of Jesus. On the surface it looks like bringing fame to Jesus is a good thing. But words matter. I say again, words matter. Jesus doesn't need fame. He had fame. (Luke 4:14). Fame is fleeting and fame is fickle. We do not need to bring Him fame.What we bring Jesus is glory.

Puritan Thomas Watson wrote in his sermon, "Man's Chief End is to Glorify God",

The glorifying of God, 1 Pet. 4:11. "That God in all things may be glorified." The glory of God is a silver thread which must run through all our actions. l Cor. 10:31. "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." Everything works to some end in things natural and artificial; now, man being a rational creature, must propose some end to himself, and that should be, that he may lift up God in the world. He had better lose his life than the end of his living. The great truth asserted is that the end of every man's living should be to glorify God. Glorifying God has respect to all the persons in the Trinity; it respects God the Father who gave us life; God the Son, who lost his life for us; and God the Holy Ghost, who produces a new life in us; we must bring glory to the whole Trinity.

Jesus does not need us to bring Him fame.

To continue, Mr Giglio has gone the way of people who teach, preach and expect to hear divine audible voices directly telling them what to do specifically and in individual circumstances. And not that they can expect this voice just once, but often. At last year's Passion 2012 conference, Mr Giglio said, "How many of you heard the voice of God speak specifically, clearly, directly, and personally, to you? Can you just put a hand up? I’d like you to share it. Can you put a hand up for a minute?" ... "God spoke to me.” Don’t let the voice of the darkness, tell you that you are not worth that God would not speak to you. Don’t let him tell you, you don’t matter. God spoke to you."

He teaches youth that it is normative to hear God, and worse, the flip side of his teaching is that if you do NOT hear God, there is something wrong with you. Apparently Mr Giglio has full confidence in his ability to detect the Voice. At a conference in GA in March 2012, Mr Giglio was interviewed by his friend Andy Stanley. Mr Giglio said, "The upside to planting a church at 50 years old – You care less about what other people think. You have more confidence in your ability to hear from Jesus.”

The ability to hear His voice- through the scripture and no other place- comes from the Holy Spirit. Not ourselves.

That was a short overview. Now to the Passion 2013 conference..."

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

KIM WALKER-SMITH and the JESUS CULTURE CONTROVERSY

from Part I of "Discerning a Gnostic conference called "Passion 2013," Louie Giglio "

Kim Walker-Smith [Notice her hyphenated name, and readGenesis 2:24] is a part of the Jesus Culture Band. She is part of a home church called Bethel Church in Redding CA. Smith is a worship leader and/or a "worship pastor" at that same church, whichteaches heresies. On her church page she is listed as as "a passionate worship leader with an anointing to bring an entire generation into an encounter with God." I'm impressed. The Apostles didn't even have such an anointing.

At a conference called 'Awakening 2011' Smith shared with the audience a vision she said she had. It was an experience of cuddling with Jesus [glorified, in Heaven, for that is where Christ now resides], and God [also in Heaven] was nearby too. She said her vision buoyed her and she lives off it, explaining, "I live off of the encounter ... until the next one." Yet the bible says “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4). This means we don't live just in the flesh and for the flesh (having adrenaline rushed encounters) but we live by His word.

The problem that comes from living from encounter to encounter is three-fold: first, we live by His word as the bible commands, not by experiences. Second, human nature requires ever bigger rushes. The last one has to be topped. It is the Law of Diminishing returns for an adrenaline junkie. Adrenaline junkies seek encounters or experiences in which a high is produced by epinephrine released by the adrenal gland. It produces a fight-or-flight response (one which Ms Smith admits she felt during each of the encounters she described). The problem is that each 'high' has to be succeeded by one with more oomph in order to achieve the same effect. It seems like it would be an upward spiral but it is really a downward one. Third, what happens when the encounters stop? They do and they will. After each high, there is a low. What will sustain her faith then? If you live by the word, it will never pass away. (Matthew 24:35).

Here is a bit of what Mrs Smith said regarding her encounter with Jesus and God:

"This is not a normal thing for me, to have these encounters." But then later she said "I live off of the encounter ... until the next one." We know from the bible that several righteous men encountered Jesus as He is glorified, but they are few. Few. Isaiah, Ezekiel, Paul, and John were lifted up and saw Him in heaven. Of those four, three were allowed to relate a small bit of what they saw and Paul was commanded not to speak of it at all. Peter saw a transfigured Christ on earth, Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus and Moses encountered God atop Mt Sinai.

In comparing her experience with the ones above from the bible, the two experiences are dramatically different. I'll summarize what Mrs Walker-Smith has said in her video testimony. Then we will compare her experience to those who experienced God from the bible's record:

In her vision, she said she saw Jesus and God behind Him. God beckoned for her to come closer. When she did, two questions popped into her mind that she wanted to ask Jesus. One was "How much do you love me, and the other was "What were you thinking when you created me?"

In answering her question as to how much Jesus loved her, Smith said he started stretching out his arms, and it looked like Stretch Armstrong, the superhero cartoon character "whose arms and legs could stretch out like spaghetti noodles. And He's laughing hysterically."

A person entering the presence of God and Jesus would become immediately insensate & insensible. But Mrs Smith remained conscious enough in her own flesh to ask Jesus to 'tell me about me.' Then she likens him to a cartoon character, and says he laughed hysterically. Hysterical laughter is out-of-control laughter, and Jesus is never out of control.

The bible tells us that if you were one of the FEW men to have seen heaven while still alive that what you see is unlawful to express. (2 Corinthians 12:4). But if directed to tell, the visionary must use many symbols and metaphors to try and get the point across because the scene is so incomprehensible. The writer uses exalted metaphors to convey the inexpressible beauty and holiness of the scene. The writers did not use everyday toys and cartoon characters to convey the scene, in no way is that appropriate. The metaphors themselves that John or Ezekiel used for example were 'hair white like wool, eyes like a flame, feet like bronze', (Revelation 1) 'a brightness all around Him...like a bow in the sky.' (Ezekiel 1:27-28).

After Daniel's visions of the Ancient of Days, he became "distressed, alarmed and dismayed." (Daniel 7:15). That sounds bad enough, but the Hebrew says the word alarmed means active suffering and piercing grief. (Strong's). Yet in Mrs Smith's visions she giggled like a schoolgirl and cuddled in Jesus' arms while God roamed around nearby.

Mrs Smith said that she had wanted to ask Jesus two questions but in that first vision had only asked one. She continued in her sharing of her now second vision in which the unasked question was answered: "What were you thinking when you made me". She said that a few months later she was watching the sun come up early in the morning. "I like to watch the sun come up, which is a miracle in itself ... because I am not a morning person." Oh wait, I thought she was going to praise the creator. 

"Again, I felt the presence of the Lord, and I felt like He wanted me to ask that question. Jesus is like, 'Please, please ask me that question.' And again he said, 'Please, please ask me that question."

The scene she describes here is of a begging Jesus. It continues: 

Smith said she's now standing with Jesus. In front of her is God the father. Jesus's got a table, and He reaches into His body and clutches his heart and rips a chunk off His heart and throws it on the table... he fashions her out of a clay or play-dough like substance, puts her into a ballerina music box where she begins dancing, and then Jesus begins shouting "who hooooo" while running around with his arms up, continually going around, "woo hoo!" in circles, running around a bunch of times. Smith said he looked like a jack in the box.

"Then I'm in the palm of the Father's hand...and I see His heart and the outline of his heart and the outline is the chunk he ripped out and he slides me into His heart like a puzzle piece and it's a perfect fit. Smith said Jesus told her, "I made you because you make me happy." 

A few days ago, I wrote about the Therapeutic Gospel. I noted how the Gnostic changes the emphasis of the Gospel from the work of Jesus to our own worth. I'd said:

The Therapeutic Gospel does something else that's devastating. It leads us to believe that it is our worth that motivates God's action to save us. The thinking is, Jesus came to save us because we are so valuable to God. ... A good example comes from comparing two parables.
Pastor Wax compares the subtle shift in a counterfeit Gospel from being Christ-centered to man-centered, by comparing the parable of the sheep as they are presented in Luke and in the false Gospel of Thomas. Here is the Gospel of Luke:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:4-7)

The other is from the non-canonical, false Gospel of Thomas.

"Jesus said, "The kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. When he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, 'I care for you more than the ninety-nine.'" (FALSE, NON-CANONICAL “Gospel of Thomas”)

What has happened here, said Pr. Wax, is that in the counterfeit Gnostic gospel the point of the parable in the counterfeit is about the worth of the sheep, instead of the work of the Shepherd.

Jesus did not create us because it made Him happy. He made humans so as to bring HIM glory. (Romans 11:36). Do you see the exact Gnostic emphasis that is present in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas is also in Smith's vision? It was the worth of Kim Walker-Smith that caused Jesus to make her? And in so doing brought Jesus a measure of happiness he had not had before?

This is not possible. It does not line up with the scriptures and if it does not line up with scripture, it is false.

In looking at the biblical record of people who were lifted to heaven or saw Jesus glorified, we compare their reactions with Kim Walker-Smith's. For example, Isaiah- 

Isaiah said, "And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" (Isaiah 6:5)

"Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking." (Ezekiel 1:28b)
FULL ARTICLE HERE

Jesus Culture 2012 Conference Review - Video Interview, Los Angeles

What is taught at Jesus Culture Conferences?
What is learned by those who attend?

Banning Liebscher, Bill Johnson, and other Jesus Culture leaders preach "revival", "spreading the message", "signs and wonders", an "open heaven," and a "billion soul harvest. "

Are these things the real deal?

Do they preach Jesus Christ and His gospel?

What is happening to those who are attending?

This interviewer took his camera to the Jesus Culture Conference in Los Angeles in August 2012, to learn what Jesus Culture followers are learning, then to examine this in light of the Scriptures.

May you be edified, challenged, and grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: 

Are You Called to Be A Watchman with Us?

We have observed that there are many readers of this blog who are diligently studying the warnings we are declaring. Your diligence is commendable. 

The brethren in Australia; Hartford, Wisconsin; South Africa; the University of California (Irvine); New Zealand; the UK; and other locations have drawn our attention to ask you...is the Lord calling you to  be a watchman?

If so, are you called to join us? If you believe the Lord is showing you this, please read this post and contact us using the contact email address at the top of the blog page. 

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ~ Ephesians 5:11

And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel:  therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. ~ Ezekiel 3:16

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ~ Galatians 6:1  

The prophet Ezekiel was “Called to be a Watchman” by God, over his people, Israel.  When many consider the position of “watchman," they assume it to be one who only is sent to care for the needs of the people, watch over them, pray for their needs, and tend to them as a shepherd tends to his flock. 


But, the position of a “watchman” is far more than this, for not only does it require a heart of love for the people and most importantly the Father, it also requires boldness, diligence, fearlessness, dedication, obedience to the Father, and a patient dependence upon the grace of God. In Old Testament  times, a physical "watchman" was one who stood guarding the city wall, and upon sensing any immediate danger inside or outside of the walls, he would then sound an alarm to warn the people in advance of what lied ahead.   


The prophet Ezekiel was called by God to be a spiritual watchman over the people and, much like the physical watchman, he had to warn the people in advance of impending dangers.   


There are some within the Body of Christ who’ve been called to be a watchman, and it is not an easy calling. It is a very serious position which one should not take lightly and has serious consequences for disobedience.  A watchman called of the Lord will often face ridicule and persecution, will be mocked and shamefully mistreated by the very ones they are called to “watch over,” as many will despise their speech, seeing it as a curse rather than a warning and will close their ears to the truth. 


However, he/she must have boldness, love, patience, and gentleness in warning the brethren, for this reason: for such a one to choose to be silent, and not declare the warning of the Lord to the people when sensing the oncoming dangers, or knowing of the seemingly hidden dangers, he/she will suffere the consequences of disobedience. 


Are you called to be a watchman? Are you called to guard and watch the sheep, to warn of wolves among us? Seek the Lord, pray and wait. He will answer. 

Titus 3:10-11 "As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."

2 John 1:7-11 "For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."

1 Timothy 5:20"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear". 

2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."

Galatians 6:1 

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted."

Romans 16:17 "Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them."

1 Timothy 4:1, 6

"the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons….In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following."

Exposing the Darkness at Bethel Church - Have no Part With it

 

GRACE UNDER FIRE

Birds of a Feather Flock Together: Strange Manifestations in 'Christian' Circles - from God or not? Feathers in Church? Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, Redding California...

by Anne Heers

"...for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness"? (2 Corinthians 6:14)  

In chapter 12 of When Heaven Invades Earth: A Practical Guide to a Life of Miracles, Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California writes:

I have seen the small gems that suddenly appeared in the people's hands as they worshipped God. Since early in 1998, we have had feathers fall in our meetings. At first I thought birds were getting into our air conditioning ducts, but then they started falling in other rooms of the church not connected with the same ductwork. They now fall most anywhere we go - airports, homes, restaurants, offices and the like...He [God] wants to take us farther, and we can only get there by following signs. Our present understanding of scripture can only take us so far. (Page 204,205)

Johnson convinces people that these signs are from God and the Holy Spirit and our present understanding of scripture cannot take us far enough. On the same pages, he says that laughter, gold dust, oil and a cloud (appearing in the church building) are also signs of God's presence. He further explains in the same chapter that these signs and manifestations "are simple indicators of God's presence and purpose". He calls these signs God's "personal notes" to us. He clearly links these signs to our holy God and the Holy Spirit.

But are they? In scripture, believers are commanded to be scrutinizing (not blindly accepting) by putting what they see and hear to the test instead of accepting a teaching, sign or wonder right away, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

Are all signs from God? Clearly scripture teaches that the apostles did signs and wonders. God is still powerful just like He was back then: "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders done among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch" (Acts 5:12).

However, scripture also contains warnings about following signs and wonders: "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him" (Deuteronomy 13:1-4).

Johnson preaches this about Jesus: "He laid his divinity aside" (When Heaven Invades Earth; chapter 7; page 110). Johnson also preaches that Jesus did His miracles as a man and not as God. Remember in John 10:30 when Jesus said, "I and the Father are one"? What about the immaculate conception and the virgin birth? That was divine, so Jesus had to be divine since conception, even before that - and forever for that matter! In an article from Charisma Magazine dated February 23, 2012, Johnson writes: "While Jesus is eternally God, He emptied Himself of His divinity and became a man...it’s vital to note that He did all His miracles as a man, not as God. If He did them as God, I would still be impressed. But because He did them as a man yielded to God, I am now unsatisfied with my life, being compelled to follow the example He has given us. Jesus is the only model for us to follow". The proof text he gives is Philippians 2:7 (which does not state that Christ's divine nature ceased, but basically that Jesus humbly became a servant despite His divinity).

Is this the same Jesus of the Bible that is preached here - a Jesus who was a non-divine man? I personally believe that Jesus was and is always divine in nature and never ceased to be divine in nature and one with God (because God is divine) for a split second. If someone is divine, it is in their nature and cannot be changed. Divinity cannot be laid aside or stopped. I am human in nature, and I cannot lay that aside. Jesus was and always will be divine in nature, so how could He lay His divine nature aside as He has always been divine, Godhead and deity forever?

Interestingly, there are no records of feathers falling on the apostles in the Bible, though this is an occurence happening in occultic religions and practices. According to a new age ministry calledKrysalis Training Academy, which supports the Dalai Lama, psychic practices, reiki, new age spiritual healing, hypnotherapy, eastern meditation, shamanism, wicca, mysticism and more - feathers are indeed a sign.

Angels often send us little reminders of their presence as angel feathers, which are small white feathers. These seem to appear from nowhere when we are down and in need of comfort. I remember sitting in a café, watching the rain falling on the pavement outside and feeling blue. Suddenly, a small white feather floated down in front of me and landed on my table. I smiled, knowing the angels were around me, with their comforting presence.

Feathers falling - from God or not? As we see here, feathers do appear as signs from other spirits of the occult.

The Apostle Paul spoke in 2 Corinthians 11:4 on "another Jesus" and "another spirit". Could this be?

Another peculiar manifestation in professed Christian circles these days are uncontrolled animal sounds, laughing and drunkenness. Bill Johnson endorses John and Carol Arnott (Catch the Fire Ministries and Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship) on his own website's friend list. In fact, Johnson and the Arnott's are together having an upcoming conference in the UK in August 2012 called theRevival Alliance Conference. The Arnott's promote jungle and barnyard animal sounds as a manifestation from the Holy Spirit on their official website. Interestingly, we do not see any apostles being "overcome" by a lack of self-control with animals sounds in the entire history of Christianity nor from our plumbline, the Word of God (remember, self-control is the fruit of the Spirit, not a loss of self-control; see Galatians 5:22).

According to the same occultic ministry mentioned above, animal sounds are characteristic of spirits of shamanism.

The Arnott's, friends of Johnson, explain:

The Toronto Blessing is a transferable anointing. In its most visible form itovercomes worshippers with outbreaks of laughter, weeping, groaning, shaking, falling, 'drunkenness,' and even behaviours that have been described as a 'cross between a jungle and a farmyard.' Of greater significance, however, are the changed lives.

Bill Johnson attributes these manifestations to the Holy Spirit when he states:

Our new list includes falling, shaking, laughing, etc...we must learn to recognize his move by recognizing his presence. (When Heaven Invades Earth; chapter 12; page 205)

The Apostle Paul said that if all spoke in tongues and an unbeliever walked in, they would think everyone was crazy (and turn around and walk right out!). "So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?" (1 Corinthians 14:23; NIV). Are these manifestations from God? If you walked into a church and one or more people were barking uncontrollably like a dog, hissing like a snake, moo-ing like a cow, or jumping around like a monkey, would you stay to hear the message? What would God say about this? What about the Apostle Paul? Some things to ponder.

The Apostle Paul said, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:12-17).

Have you ever looked up the Greek meaning for seducers ('imposters')? This word is translated from the Greek word "góēs". Here is how the HELPS Word-studies defines the word 'imposter':

Originally, a sorcerer (in ancient Greek literature); in New Testament times, 1114 (góēs) is a swindler – a shameless cheat pretending to use supernatural power; an actor (cheap imposter), looking for self-gain, i.e. posing to be someone he isn't. "A charlatan", used only in 2 Tim 3:13, refers to a seducer (properly, a wailer) – a fraud who "sounds off" like a whining enchanter. This person uses their verbal spells and incantations to give the (false) impression they can do miracles.

Are these signs and wonders from the real Jesus and the real Holy Spirit? Or is this another Jesus and another spirit bringing "lying signs and wonders" as prophesied? What do you think? I know what I think, and that is based upon the scriptures.

Thanks for reading.

Jesus Culture's False Gospel: Will the Real Gospel Please Stand Up?

There are many false teachings at Jesus Culture Conferences. Some of these errors are more obvious than others. One of the errors that can be hard to detect is the "different gospel" that is taught and preached consistently throughout Jesus Culture's teachings. It is hard to detect, because for some people--even long-time Christians-- the actual message of the gospel is not fully clear. 

[The absence of the gospel in Jesus Culture conferences --as well as Jesus Culture's home church, Bethel, and its affiliated School of Supernatural Ministry-- is certainly an obvious "different gospel". One can attend many of their events, Sunday messages, classes and even the "Power Evangelism" seminars, and never hear, read, or practice the preaching of the gospel.]

Another way to see these different gospels is through contrast. The short video below illustrates several "other" gospel messages--including some similar to those taught by Jesus Culture--and then the message of the real gospel. 

See if you can detect the true gospel message, from the other, false gospels. Teacher John MacArthur then offers an explanation of the summary of the gospel, as it was inspired by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul in Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 21: 

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him

Why is Jesus Culture's false gospel dangerous? 

Because "it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). The Bible says that it must be preached, we must hear it and, by faith, we must believe it, in order to be saved from the rightful punishment of a holy God for our sins committed against Him.  (Romans 10:13-15, Ephesians 2:8).

This is the message that has the power to bring us out darkness and death into light and life, eternally.  (1 Peter 2:9). 

Jesus said in John 12:46-50

“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.“I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” 

Jesus is saying that we will be judged according to our response to Him and His Word. If the Jesus that is preached is "another Christ" we cannot respond to Him in a way that leads to salvation. Similarly, if the Word that is preached is "another gospel" we cannot respond to it in a way that leads to salvation.

Zac Pooneen, in his article, "The True Gospel and the False", explains it this way: 

Basically, there are only two gospels being preached today - one man-centered and the other God-centered.

The man-centered gospel promises man that God will give him everything he needs to make his life on earth comfortable and will also give him a seat in heaven at the end of his life. Man is told that Jesus will forgive all his sins, heal all his diseases, bless and prosper him materially, solve all his earthly problems, etc., etc.

Self still remains at the center of such a man's life, and God revolves around him - as his servant - to answer his every prayer and to give him whatever he wants!! All that he has to do is "believe" and "claim every material blessing in Jesus' Name"!!

This is a false gospel, because no mention is made of "repentance". Repentance is what John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, Peter and all the apostles preached first of all. And repentance, unfortunately, is what is not preached today, even last of all!!

The God-centered gospel, on the other hand, calls upon man to repent. It explains that "repentance" means:

Turning FROM Self as the center of one's life, from doing one's own will, from walking along one's self-chosen way, from loving money, and from loving the world and the things in the world (the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life), etc., and

Turning TO God, loving Him with one's whole heart, making Him the Centre of one's life and doing His will henceforth etc.,

Faith in Christ's death on the cross can forgive a man his sins only when he has repented. Then he can receive the power of the Holy Spirit to empower him to deny himself daily so that he can live a God-centered life. This is the gospel that Jesus and the apostles preached.

The false gospel makes the gate wide and the way broad (easy to walk along, because one does not have to deny one's Self or stop living for one's own interests or stop seeking one's own gain). ...But it is all a deception. Although some are indeed genuinely converted in such meetings, because of their sincerity, many such "converts" end up becoming "twofold children of hell" (Matt.23:15) - deceived about their true state.

The true gospel however, makes the gate small and the way narrow - not smaller or narrower than Jesus Himself made it, as some "super-spiritual" cultists do, but just the same size as Jesus made it. Few there be, that find this way to life. There is not much for the evangelists of this gospel to report about, and the statistics are not impressive. But this gospel leads people to the Lord Jesus and to heaven.

"Be careful how you listen. Whoever obeys what he has heard, to him more light and understanding will be given. But whoever does not obey what he has heard, even what light and understanding he thinks he has will be taken away from him." (Paraphrase of Luke 8:18).

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.