Prophetic Alert: Spiritual Warfare Intensifying in America in This Hour

JEREMIAH JOHNSON



On July 1, 2017, I had and released a prophetic dream where I saw a gigantic messenger of Satan coming into the United States from the East Coast. I called out to it from the walls of a large fortified city and said, "I am a watchman over this land and I command you to tell me by what authority do you enter this nation?" It said, "I come here by the permission of the church, who has granted me access to come plunder and devour right in the midst of them."

The principality had the wings of an angel but the tail of a dragon, and it looked hideous There was great darkness upon it, yet it had the outward appearance of unusual light. In its hands, it carried a large black book with the words written on it, "The gospel of accommodation."

The Spirit began to show me massive deception is sweeping the church, and it is fast asleep. There is a very real war in the spirit realm over the true gospel, the gospel of self-denial and this false gospel, the gospel of accommodation, which is seeking to overtake the American Church. The gospel of accommodation encourages American Christians to fit Jesus into their life rather than making Him their life. This false gospel requires no sacrifice, no commitment and no death to self. It is dangerous, deceptive and we are going to witness God beginning to highlight preachers and churches who preach this false gospel of accommodation.

The Messenger of Satan (Gulf of Mexico)

Again on Sept 1, 2017 (exactly two months from the last dream), I had another prophetic dream where I saw this same messenger of Satan appear in the Gulf of Mexico. Instead of carrying a book, he was now carrying a large boat paddle and began to stir the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and his paddle reached as far as the Caribbean. I began to hear the earth literally groan. The water was crying out. That's the only way I know how to explain it. As this principality began to stir the waters, several demonic spirits manifested and revealed themselves to me. They specifically were hatred, fear, violence and depression.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, "Jeremiah, you must know that the spiritual storms that are manifesting in the earth are far greater than any physical storm that has touched the earth. Physical storms are limited to a region of people. These spiritual storms that are coming will have the power to affect every area of culture. The physical hurricanes that have come and coming are devastating, but the spiritual ones are greater. The physical hurricanes that will manifest in this season will only further serve to reveal and open up the eyes and ears of the church to the spiritual storms of hatred, fear, violence and depression that are upon them."

The Paul Revere Anointing

As the Spirit spoke this to me and I watched this messenger of Satan stir the waters in the Gulf of Mexico and even the Caribbean, as these demonic spirits manifested into spiritual storms, I suddenly found myself in the state of Texas. There was an army of horse-riders waiting for me and prepared to run. I relayed to them what I had seen, not only on July 1, but on Sept. 1 as well. I shouted, "The anointing of Paul Revere is upon us! Now is the time to warn the American church of the coming spiritual storms. We must warn them of the false gospel of accommodation. Watch as God uses the physical storms to highlight those who are preaching this false gospel. We must warn the church of the hatred, fear, violence and depression that will try to overtake them. If they give in, they will look no different than the world. Days are coming where parts of the church will become so blended with the world that you will have a hard time discerning the difference between the two."

As I and the army of horse-riders rode with the anointing of Paul Revere to American churches, we visited three specific types churches. (This was almost identical to a dream I had in 2015, but some details God gave me were different.)

The Sleeping Church

The first type of church we visited had "sleeping church" engraved on its doors. As we opened the doors to these churches, every one of them was in the middle of a service. We would hurry in to relay the message of what we had just seen and heard, only to be shocked to see everyone in attendance, including the leadership, sucking on pacifiers. While this type of church could hear our words, they had no ability to respond. We began to cry out and say, "Why are you silent, church, why are you silent? Though you are awake, you are sleeping!"

In the dream, the Holy Spirit immediately spoke to me Ephesians 4:14 (NIV): "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming."

The Hyper-Grace Church

The second type of church we visited met in various types of buildings and was very postmodern. We were delighted because many of them seemed to be younger in age (18-35). As we warned them of the coming spiritual storms, they laughed at us.

God said, "These are the products of the works-based gospel movement of the '80s and '90s. These are they who have rebelled in the name of grace, but not in the name of My Son." As the Spirit spoke this to us, there began to be mass commotion among them. He said,

"These types of churches are blinding the generations to the truth in the name of grace. They call themselves Joel's army because they believe they will usher in the last day's grace movement in the earth, but know that they are like the locust, seeking to devour and ravage the vineyards of young generations. They distort the truth and preach rebellion and tolerance in the name of grace. They shall question if hell exists. They will believe that many paths lead to Me."

After visiting these two types of churches, the horse-riders were in great distress. I cried out to the Spirit and said, "Take me to Your church." I immediately rode up on a church building that had "Surrendered Church" on its doors.

The Surrendered Church

We quickly walked in and sat down. I immediately noticed that in the back of this church was a gaping hole. It was as if a blast had gone off and almost entirely knocked out the back walls of the surrendered church. As we visited surrendered churches all over America, we found the same thing. I sat in the back and asked the Father what had happened. He said, "My church was at first deceived by the false gospel of accommodation. They allowed hatred, fear, depression and violence to overtake them. The hyper-grace church you just saw stormed out of the back of My church and left because of the preaching of holiness and the fear of the Lord, but now My church has been awakened, and it shall be repaired."

I got up out of my seat and watched as many people were working on repairing the gaping hole in the back of the church. As I watched, I noticed something interesting: The workers were not just any workers. They were true apostles and prophets restoring the foundation of the church, and many of them were teaching other young people how to properly lay the foundation. God said, "I am raising up a remnant in the American church that will be sound in doctrine, they will embrace the gospel of self-denial, and they will not walk in fear, anger, violence and depression."

Many intercessors were in great travail repenting over the sins of the church, but having a great sense of hope as they cried out and thanked the Father for awakening the church from deception.

Then I woke up.

Jeremiah Johnson planted and serves on the eldership team at Heart of the Father Ministry in Lakeland, Florida. A gifted teacher, prophet and author of multiple books, Jeremiah travels and speaks extensively throughout the United States and abroad as a conference and guest speaker. Jeremiah is also the founder and director of Maranatha School of Ministry. MSM is a full-time fivefold ministry training center that equips and sends out end-time messengers. For more information, please visit maranatha.schoolor jeremiahjohnson.tv.

THE FACE OF AN APOSTATE ANTICHRIST

Christian Publishing House Blog

By EDWARD D. ANDREWS

A professor of religious studies in North Carolina, U.S.A., who is a world-renowned Agnostic New Testament textual scholar, describes the Bible in this way: “It is a radical shift from reading the Bible as an inerrant blueprint for our faith, life, and future to seeing it as a very human book, with very human points of view, many of which differ from one another and none of which provides the inerrant guide to how we should live. This is the shift in my own thinking that I ended up making, and to which I am now fully committed. Many Christians, of course, have never held this literalistic view of the Bible in the first place, and for them, such a view might seem completely one-sided an unnuanced (not to mention bizarre and unrelated to matters of faith). There are, however, plenty of people around, who still see the Bible this way. Occasionally, I see a bumper sticker that reads: ‘God said it, I believe it, and that settles it.’ My response is always, What if God didn’t say it? What if the book you take as giving you God’s words instead contains human words? What if the Bible doesn’t give a foolproof answer to the questions of the modern age—abortions, women’s rights, gay rights, religious supremacy, Western-style democracy, and the like? What if we have to figure out how to live and what to believe on our own, without setting up the Bible as the false idol—or an oracle that gives us a direct line of communication with the Almighty? There are clear reasons for thinking that, in fact, the Bible is not this kind of inerrant guide to our lives: among other things, as I.ve been pointing out, in many places as we (as scholars, or just regular readers) don’t even know what the original words of the Bible were. (bold mine)—Bart D. Ehrman, The Story Behind Who Changed The New Testament and Why (New York, NY: Continuum, 2008), p. 13-14.

If we were to start with the presupposition of reading the Bible as “a very human book,” then we would be lean toward discarding and direction or principles that do not satisfy our own personal taste. How is this Agnostic evangelist for “a very human” book described by today’s scholarly world?

Biography
Bart D. Ehrman is one of the most renowned and controversial Bible scholars in the world today. He is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is the author of more than twenty books, including the New York Times bestsellers How Jesus Became God; Misquoting Jesus; God’s Problem; Jesus, Interrupted; and Forged. He has appeared on Dateline NBC, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN, History, and top NPR programs, as well as been featured in TIME, the New York Times, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, and other publications. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.—HarperCollins Publishers.

A Facebook person interested in New Testament Textual Criticism (NTTC) writes, “I was very reluctant [to buy Ehrman books] as I have tended to regard Ehrman as an anti-church type.” We ask, ‘That wouldn’t be because he is an atheist in agnostic clothing, would it?’ Or, ‘it wouldn’t be the fact that he has stumbled many Christians with his books?’

This Facebook commenter in a New Testament Textual Criticism group went on to say, “If you are theologically conservative or tend toward fundamentalism or are deeply connected to a traditional church-based understanding of the NT, then you might want to avoid it. I am a Christian but have been reading the Bible critically for a long time and am not connected to one tradition in this regard. If you have a similar attitude, you might want to take a look at this book. It is great. I am about sixty percent through. Ehrman is quite even-handed and his comments are very helpful.”

What is amazing is this, Joel Osteen is seen as a fraud, a false prophet, false teacher because he twists the truth and God’s word for his prosperity ministry. However, it seems that textual scholars and Bible translators give Bart D. Ehrman a pass on doing the very same thing. Will someone please tell me what the Greek word apostasia means? Please tell me how it is used in the New Testament?

Apostasia: This is rejecting, defecting, revolting, abandoning or deserting the worship and service of God, and actually rebelling against the faith and God they formerly worshipped and served.

Apostates will arise within the Christian congregation, right?
1 Timothy 4:1 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

4But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,

2 Thessalonians 2;3 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

3 Let no one deceive[5] you in any way, for it will not come unless the apostasy[6] comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,

Don’t apostates seek to have their own followers, causing division, and stumbling genuine Christians?
Acts 20:28-30 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the congregation[1] of God, which he obtained with the blood of his own Son.[2] 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

[1] Gr ekklesia (“assembly;” “congregation, i.e., of Christians”)

[2] Lit with the blood of his Own.

2 Peter 2:1, 3 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

2But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Is it not true that apostates abandon the faith but then they also speak abusively of the faith, “upsetting the faith of some.”
2 Timothy 2:16-18 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

16 But avoid empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness, 17 and their word will spread like gangrene; Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them. 18 men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.

Do apostates oppose the faithful followers of Christ?
John 15:20-21 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A slave[65] is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.

How does the Bible say that faithful Christians are to treat apostates?
2 John 9-10 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting;

Romans 16:7-8 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

Now, if you will tell me please what does the Greek word antichristos mean? How is it used in the New Testament? How many antichrists are there according to the apostle John?

Antichristos: this means to be against or instead of Christ. The term applies to all who reject and oppose what the Bible says about Jesus Christ. These ones also mistreat his followers. Trying to mislead, misrepresent, and misinform about the Word is also the work of the antichrist.

1 John 2:18 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist[4] is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; whereby we know that it is the last hour.

Do the antichrists not abandon the faith that they once loved?
1 John 2:19 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, so that they would be revealed that they all are not of us.

Do the antichrists deny Jesus Christ?

1 John 2:22 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

22 Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  This is the antichrist, even the one who denies the Father and the Son.

SO, how are faithful Christians to treat the apostates and the antichrists?

Many so-called faith Bible scholars have co-authored books with Bart D. Ehrman, who has now spent decades penning books and articles that misleadingly try to undermine the Word of God. This has given Ehrman a platform to spew his misinformation. If Satan could come down as s human and he was the best damn textual scholar you ever saw, would anyone write a book with him, praise his books, give him a platform to spew his lies. It has taken a truckload of textual scholars to deal with the deception of Ehrman.

Just because Ehrman is hiding in the guise of a Bible scholar and his words are like a glass of water that is half poison, half water, the scholarly world has forgotten or ignores who he really is. See the truth.

Many unsuspecting Christians have no clue about Ehrman. It wasn’t people calling him an apostate that impacted him in any way. As that was not the case with him. What caused him to leave Christianity was his own doubts about God’s Word. LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY so you can get the correlation. He LEFT CHRISTIANITY because of HIS OWN DOUBTS about the truthfulness and trustworthiness of the Bible.

He went to the most conservative Bible college in the United States, Moody. Then, he went to one of the best colleges after his two-year degree, Wheaton College. This was followed by Princeton Theological Seminary. His doubts about the Bible started at Wheaton. He did not address those doubts, he kept them bottled up. Then, at Princeton they were flooding into him so much, it was pushing his faith out. Then, he wrote a paper on an apologetic problem in the Gospel of Mark. His professor returned his paper with a little note at the bottom – “Maybe Mark was just wrong.”

This was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. Ehrman concluded that if Mark was wrong there, he can be wrong in other places and the other authors can be wrong too. This opened up Pandora’s Box. He was not a Moody Bible College now, he was a Princeton with MANY liberal professors that continued to feed his doubt.

EDUCATION: Moody Bible Institute (1973-1976), Wheaton College (B.A., 1978), Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div., 1981; Ph.D., 1985)

His thirty books have included at least 20 that have been written so as to undermine the Greek New Testament as NOT the Word of God but as the Word of man. He has spent 20+ years doing exactly what was done to him, causing Christians to doubt the word of God and to doubt Jesus Christ. He just does not say these things aloud or on social media, because he is ignorant of things, he is the New Testament professor at Chapel Hill in NC. He is a New York Times Bestselling author. He debates Christians publicly with his message in the most mocking attitude. He has a worldwide ministry geared against Jesus Christ and the Word of God and you think I am being too hard on him.

This article does not label him an apostate antichrist because it is name calling. It does so in order to wake of the unsuspecting Christians that have faith in God’s Word to be cautious as to who they are reading, so they do not become a victim, just as Ehrman did. This article is not telling Christians to not read Ehrman’s books but rather read the other books that tell the whole truth as well.

We need to make up our mind that we will find the solution if we can by any amount of study and research that we have to carry out. We need not abandon the Faith like Bart D. Ehrman because some answers are not readily available. We need to ponder over it and work over it for our entire lives if necessary. Maybe the evidence comes to light for the next generation. Sometimes, the work benefits us much more than when we discover the solution. The solution is there to be found and it isn’t always what we may want it to be, we just have to be willing to buy out the time, to work hard enough and long enough.

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored ninety-two books. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).

God Is Raising Up End-Times Prophetic Messengers

Jeremiah Johnson

God is raising up end time prophetic messengers who will proclaim Jesus Christ and all of His glory to the ends of the earth. Even now, these lovesick forerunners are preparing the bride to meet their bridegroom King. The Word of God burns inside of them like fire in their bones that they cannot contain. They are daily experiencing intimate encounters with the Son of God as they sit with Him and learn how to meditate upon His Word day and night.

These sons and daughters will help usher in revival to the church, centered upon the knowledge of God and encountering the person of Jesus. This company of burning and shining lamps will devour the Word of God. They will say "yes" to fresh encounters on the road to Emmaus where the unveiling of Christ will be made known to them through the Law, the Psalms, the Prophets and the New Testament. As these prophetic messengers learn to walk the road to Emmaus, they will continually invite others to join them on this incredible pursuit for the truth that can only be found in God's Word.

Is your heart burning within you to personally encounter the glorious person of Jesus Christ and make Him known to the world around you? Revelation 19:10b says, "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." In other words, when the spirit of prophecy begins to move among a fellowship of believers, they will begin to declare with a passionate and burning heart cry who Jesus Christ really is to a generation.

A Revival of the Word of God

Some of our churches today have become full of people who are spiritually starving, while stuffed with every physical comfort and pleasure. We have in many ways successfully birthed a churchgoing generation addicted to video games, movies and entertainment, but has no real appetite for the Word of God. Jeremiah cried out to his generation and said, "Indeed, the word of the Lord is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it" (Jer. 6:10).

In the midst of this crisis where the Bible has become a reproach to many Christians and they no longer take delight in it, God is raising up a generation of plumb line prophets who are going to help the body of Christ rediscover hearing, delighting in, trembling before and obeying the Word of God. A bored generation of churchgoers who are desperately searching for ways to get through their quiet times with God are going to encounter prophetic messengers who burn with the fire of God's Word in their bellies.

I see a hungry and growing remnant of saints and church leaders who will absolutely love the Word of God and build their lives and ministries upon it. Plumb line prophets are emerging who will be used mightily in a spirit of wisdom and revelation to enlighten the eyes of the church to the power found in the Bible. There is a man who lives between the lines of Scripture; His name is Jesus. Many Christians say, "I know that verse," but my question is, "Does that verse know you?"

Overemphasis on Personal Prophecy

I'm deeply concerned that in some parts of the contemporary prophetic movement, there is an overemphasis on the giving out of personal prophecy at the expense of the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. I have had multiple pastors and saints at different conferences and churches throughout the world tell me, "Put down your Bible and prophesy to us."

If we drift from the foundation of the Word of God in the contemporary prophetic movement, we will create a generation of prophetic people who are hungry to be stimulated with words of blessing but do not want to get impregnated with the truth of God's Word. Many will hunger for personal prophecy but reject the foundation and place of encounter in the Bible. We must have prophets and prophetic people who want more than to be tickled with promises of destiny and wealth. We must be provoked into holy and righteous living through biblical teaching and preaching.

I see God raising up plumb line prophets in the earth who are going to teach and encourage a generation to primarily give themselves to the study of the revealed will of God found in Scripture and less time chasing after the hidden will of God often times revealed in experiences. We desperately need to see the Word of God handled accurately and with integrity in the contemporary prophetic movement.

Jeremiah Johnson is a gifted teacher, prophet and author of multiple books. He travels extensively throughout the United States and abroad as a conference and guest speaker. Jeremiah has been a guest on Christian television and radio shows including The Jim Bakker Show, Sid Roth's It's Supernatural and "Ask Dr. Brown," as well as on networks such as Daystar, TBN and GodTV. For more information, please visit jeremiahjohnson.tv. or check out the fivefold full-time school of ministry Jeremiah leads in Lakeland, Florida, called Maranatha School of Ministry at maranatha.school. Purchase your copy today of his new book, Trump, 2019 and Beyond at jeremiahjohnson.tv/trump-2019-beyond.

4 Biblical Elements Missing From The Modern Church Service

By Dale Partridge

The evidence is weighty and difficult to explain away—the institutional expression of church is hurting. Westernized churchianity is losing steam, its moral authority and influence are fading, and its congregants are disengaging. While the conversation is incredibly complex, I believe the overarching cause is more straightforward than most pastors want to admit.

In 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 The Apostle Paul says, “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Paul knew a truth that churches and pastors have seemed to miss:

What you win people with is what you win people to.

While the Apostle was terrified to win souls with the wisdom and charm of man, many churches have made it their modus operandi—from scripturally impoverished keynotes presented as sermons and barn wood wrapped stages to church-owned coffee shops and even on-campus skateparks. Many churches are desperate to win people with just about everything except the Gospel, the Bible, and a covenant commitment to the body of Christ.

Furthermore, the problem with winning people with flash, production, and amusement is that the moment it all stops so does the attendance. As a result, thousands of church leaders must continue “the show”—a frantic effort to keep their sheep from leaving by layering on more and more creative, yet extra-biblical ideas. For some churches, it’s a professional worship band and a slick coffeeshop /bookstore; for others, it’s a new Creative Director and expensive landscaping. But whatever it is, it doesn’t take long for a biblical Christian to realize that little of it has to do with the Bible. If they are the investigative type, they might even notice these additions are suspiciously similar to the type of marketing seen in a corporation and that their Sunday mega-service feels oddly like a conference or evangelistic outreach.

So while pastors can’t seem to debunk the cause of their dwindling flocks, millions of homesick Christians are revealing it for them: Extra-biblical practices, predictable programs, and man’s wisdom cannot sustain the soul.

In other words, watered-down, oversized, uncommitted, spectator church is much like a pasture filled with Astroturf—to a sheep it looks amazing, but in reality, there’s not much to eat.

In my opinion, the solution to creating a devoted, loyal and faithful local church isn’t to add more fluff but to take it away. To oust much of the church’s well-intended but non-biblical practices and return to the simple gathering experience represented in the New Testament.

But that’s easier said than done. Because Western Christianity has altered the church experience to such a cringe-worthy state, the average Christian can’t even determine what portions of the Sunday gathering are biblical and which are just inventive ideas. To be honest, most Christians are so scripturally illiterate they authentically believe the idea of seminary or Sunday school or a worship leader or a senior pastor is somewhere to be found in God’s holy book.

It’s clear, innovation and renovation have become the current church formula. Consequently, we must ask ourselves if we have innovated ourselves to a territory beyond the Bible. We must evaluate if what we are doing as a church matches us with what God is saying in His Bible. Having said that, I have listed four biblical elements many churches have simply erased from their gatherings. Elements that, in a variety of ways, have been pushed out, labeled as archaic, or simply don’t fit within the Americanized anatomy of church. With that said, I encourage you to evaluate my points, because my experience has taught me that the life-long, soul-sustaining, fruitful, and committed church experience many of us long for cannot occur without them.

1. The Raw, True Gospel

First off, let me remind you that the purpose of the church gathering is not for non-believers to hear the Gospel. Churches who actively invite non-believers to the meeting of the saints have, in many cases, have turned church into an evangelism outreach event. This incorrect emphasis on Sunday-sanctioned Gospel outreach forces many pastors to adopt a “lowest common denominator” style of teaching that focuses on feeding the guest instead of the committed.

In the Bible, the preaching of the Gospel is recorded as an outside work for the lost while the church gathering is as an inside work for the found.

Having said that, every church should participate in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). In doing so, let us avoid the emotional presentation that has been adopted by many churches and instead preach the raw, soul-saving Gospel:

“You are a sinner and have broken God’s laws; for that reason, you are currently under God’s wrath and destined to eternity in hell; but God loves you so much He sent His Son Jesus to die and his blood has paid the debt of your sin. If you believe in Jesus and that God raised Him from the dead and you make Him Lord over your life, you will be saved.“

We must remember following Jesus always ends at a murder scene—a cross waiting to kill our flesh. Many churches have attempted to market Christ and Christianity in a way that omits the raw truth about the Gospel (Matthew 10:39). In connection with the church, we must ask ourselves how many of today’s Christians are leaving the church not because they don’t like the preaching or the worship music but because they were never won to the true Gospel? In other words, what if the people who are leaving never actually came?

2. Biblically Qualified Elders

The “elder board.” A common, but extra-biblical idea. The practice of seeking out experienced businessmen, influential community leaders, generous donors, and theologically inclined individuals to join the oversight of a modern church. Over the years, I’ve met several “elders” from popular Christian churches; people who are incredibly gifted, talented, brilliant, but biblically unqualified.

You see, many churches have ditched the biblical qualifications for leadership and have adopted their own. Today, you can be young or female or single or even homosexual and land a seat on the elder board of many of today’s popular churches.

But the Bible has a different opinion on the matter.

In 1 Timothy 3:2-7, the Apostle Paul says, “A bishop (elder) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

It requires some significant mental gymnastics to reject that the Bible is calling for elders who are: Men, morally above reproach, married and not previously divorced, has the spiritual gift of teaching, is a father to obedient and orderly children (not child), has an ordered home life, is mature in the faith and is respected even by those outside of the church.

The Bible does not call for brilliant entrepreneurs or wealthy CFO’s or associate pastors or celebrities. That being said, a church whose overseers do not fit the Bible’s qualifications is at great risk of spiritual misdirection.

Much of today’s sheep are lost not because they wandered off, but because their unfit shepherds simply led them astray.

As biblical Christians, we should seriously and actively evaluate if our elders meet God’s criteria for church leadership. If you do not know your elders, you’ve revealed a problem. If your church is too large for you to meet with your elders, you’ve revealed another problem. God did not intend his local churches to be led by shepherds who are unknown by their sheep. If you’re longing for a biblical Christian community, then look for a church whose elders are close, known, and qualified.

3. Multi-Teacher And Dialogue-Centric Church Service

How would you feel if you went to a community meeting and instead of a fruitful and orderly dialogue between the members, one person spoke the entire time? Welcome to almost every church service in America. We’ve turned the meeting of the saints into audience Christianity—and it has nothing to do with the Bible.

In 1 Corinthians 14:26-33 Paul writes, “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets (teachers of truth) speak, and let the others (other teachers) judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first (teacher) keep silent. For you can all prophesy (teach truth) one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets (teachers) are subject to the prophets (other teachers). For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

This is the order, structure, and blueprint that Jesus Christ calls us to observe when His church comes together. Now, you might be thinking, “Didn’t Paul write 1 Corinthians and not Jesus?” That’s correct. But just four verses later (vs. 37), Paul pens a sentence that should cause each of us careful consideration.

He writes, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.”

Now, you can argue with this passage if you’d like, it looks as if the Apostle even expected resistance by people who thought they were a “prophet” or “spiritual.” Nonetheless, our feelings do not change the fact that these directives are God’s commandments for how the church should gather.

For me, the heart of this passage is quite beautiful—Paul is instituting a format that is foreign to almost every church in America—an unpredictable, dialogue-centric, Holy Spirit led, and communally-governed gathering. From the prophets (those individuals with the gift of forth-telling truth inspired by the Holy Spirit and whose teachings align with the doctrines of the Old Testament, the teachings of Jesus, and the writings of His Apostles) to the those who simply come with a psalm to sing or personal revelation to share.

If you’re a quick thinker, you’re probably recognizing the difficulty to carry out this every-member-functioning arrangement inside a church building with hundreds of people. Herein lies the problem. In almost all instances, the modern church has unquestionably erased this doctrine and practice from its operations. While there are no scriptures which speak directly to church size, there are many biblical doctrines aimed at the church (like this one) which become impossible to fulfill within the current headcount of a large gathering. As a church-going Christian, this should pose a question: Are you looking for a consumer experience filled with passive spectating similar to a conference or are you looking for a contributor experience where you can bring your spiritual gifts to the meeting, be known by your community, and find your purpose among God’s people?

4. Active and Accountable Church Discipline:

For a moment, I want you to imagine if we took all the unrepentant fornicators, adulterers, drunkards, addicts, sexually immoral, and liars that are in the church today and placed them on an island. Let’s just say that it equaled 10 million people. In five years, what do you believe the culture of that island would become? Would it become more righteous or more carnal?

Now let’s imagine for a moment that we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, allowed the population of that island to be imported back into 100,000 Christian churches (1,000 people added to each church). What do we expect will happen to those 100,000 churches? Will the church’s native population be able to correct the behavior of the newly joined members? Will the church, regardless of the presence of these new congregants, not be changed and continue as is?

The Apostle Paul says certainly not. In speaking to immorality in the church and the exercising of church discipline, 1 Corinthians 5:6 says, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” In other words, Paul is telling Christians that a little bit of tolerated immorality in a church will eventually destroy the entire body and also tarnish the name of Christ.

The church who does not practice church discipline but tolerates the presence of known habitual and unrepentant sinners is a sinful church.

But this isn’t Paul’s idea, Jesus himself calls for church discipline in Matthew 18:15-17, “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 with, “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.”‘

Anyone named a Christian who’s walking in habitual sin, whether that is viewing pornography or choosing to get drunk each weekend, or is living with their boyfriend or girlfriend should cause us to mourn. We are to be so troubled with the existence of unchanging wickedness in our church body, that we will obediently but not enjoyably carry out the removal of it.

This once again, is a church doctrine which becomes challenging to fulfill when within a large gathering filled with strangers. As a result, many of our churches are wallowing in their sin. Pure and righteous sheep are standing side-by-side with sin-loving goats unwilling to make Jesus Lord and walk in the freedom they have to be obedient to God’s Word.

Ultimately, we have many brilliant, creative, exciting, and unbiblical churches. A church absent of the raw Gospel, led by unqualified leaders, silenced by an audience format, and intoxicated with immoral members. We have taken far too much liberty in the innovation and addition of ideas that we have sped past the formational framework that upholds the heart and health of a local church.

However, let us tread carefully. We cannot forget that when Jesus was confronted by His Apostles and their frustration with outsiders who were casting out demons (Mark 9:38-40), Jesus’s response was, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side.”

While many churches might have an incorrect doctrine or be walking in unknown immaturities, we mustn’t forget that they are on our side. As mature believers, we must not elevate our doctrine above the brother or sister before us. In John 17, Jesus’s prayer is that his Christians might be one as He and the Father are one. Church correction and personal spiritual course correction are sensitive matters. We are not perfect in our execution of God’s Word and we must be wary to expect others to be.

In closing, the most fruitful and life-giving expression of local church is a biblical expression. For us, the home has proved to be the best environment to support these biblical truths. But wherever you gather, your heart should be homesick for a place and a community of people who are crying out for God’s truth. There are many places to look for ways that we could do church but there is only one place to look for ways that we should do church—and that is the unchanging, immutable, and all-powerful Word of God.

Relearn Church - Dale Partridge is the Founder and Editor in Chief at Relearn Church. He is also a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Christian apologist, house church planter, and is currently earning his Masters of Divinity at Western Seminary. He and his wife have three children.

Francis Chan Calls Out Artificial 'Moves of God,' Says He's Done Playing Games

Pastor Francis Chan says he's tired of man-made revivals and warned the church that there's no time for "playing games" any more. Chan's comments came during a February 6 speech at Liberty University's Convocation gathering.

Chan, an avid surfer, compared man-made revivals to a wave pool—controlled and fun, but ultimately predictable and artificial. He says he came to that realization while visiting a wave pool in Waco, Texas.

"One of my favorite things to do on this earth is to surf," Chan says. "So I just go, 'OK, what is this wave pool like?' And it was really cool. It just showed these people playing on this wave that comes in and I thought 'That's kind of cool. Like every 30 seconds, you know.' Because usually when you surf, you paddle out in the water [and] you don't know if a wave is coming or not. You kind of assume, you kind of see some things, but there's so much unknown. I thought 'That's so nice. You can just paddle out to this one spot in this pool and know what wave is going to come, and you know when it's going to peak and then it's going to die out, and you just paddle back out to the exact same spot over and over and over again. That's pretty fun.'

"It's so different than going in the ocean, where it's like, 'Gosh, I don't know if something huge is going to come.' There have been times where we've driven for like an hour and just sat in the water—nothing happened. ... There's so many things that can happen in the ocean. And I thought, 'This is so nice. You can just go to a wave pool and you won't have any fear.'

"And when I looked at that thing, I thought, 'Gosh, you know, this is what church services sometimes feel like to me.' It's like this wave that you can create. You know at 9:15 this is going to happen, and you know at 9:20, and then you know at 9:40 it's going to start dying out because it has to. It's just going to happen. And you can do it over and over and over again. And I feel like for many years I've been content with that, because it's fun and everyone's having a good time. But man, don't you read the Scriptures and go 'Gosh, there was so much that was unpredictable'? Where it really was a move from God. It wasn't mad-made. It wasn't this man-made wave, but things would happen that were out of your control."

Chan says he is done with artificial moves of God and instead said he craves an authentic move of the Holy Spirit.

"I've been praying that this would be something that is not man-made, because I feel like I know how to make a wave in a room," Chan says. "And I'm just done with it. There's just no time for that anymore. I'm just done playing games."

Why Benjamin Franklin Wanted to Partner With Great Awakening Preacher George Whitefield

Benjamin Franklin (Wiki Images/Pixabay)

EDDIE HYATT

In a letter dated July 2, 1756, Benjamin Franklin presented a proposal to George Whitefield, the most famous preacher of the Great Awakening, that they partner together to establish a Christian colony "in the Ohio," which was frontier country at the time.

In the letter, Franklin expressed confidence that God would give them success in such a project, "If we undertook it with a sincere regard to his honor." He wrote,

"I imagine we could do it effectually and without putting the nation at too much expense. What a glorious thing it would be, to settle in that fine country a large strong body of religious [Christian] and industrious people! What a security to the other colonies; and advantage to Britain, by increasing her people, territory, strength and commerce. Might it not greatly facilitate the introduction of pure religion among the heathen, if we could, by such a colony, show them a better sample of Christians. ..." (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 40)?

Friends to the Very End

Franklin had become friends with Whitefield 18 years prior to this when Whitefield visited Philadelphia and preached to massive outdoor crowds. Franklin attended the meetings and was attracted to this young, fiery revivalist who was nine years his junior. It proved to be the beginning of a close, life-long friendship.

Franklin and Whitefield became business partners with Franklin printing and distributing Whitefield's journals and sermons and advising him in business matters. Whitefield stayed in Franklin's home on at least one of his visits to Philadelphia and Franklin wrote to his brother in Boston, "Whitefield is a good man and I love him."

For the next 30 years, they carried on a lively and open correspondence. Whitefield often spoke about faith in Christ and admonished Franklin to make sure he was prepared for the next world. When Whitefield passed away in Newburyport, Connecticut, on Sept. 30, 1770, Franklin was in London. Obviously feeling a deep sense of loss, he wrote,


"I knew him intimately upwards of thirty years; his integrity, disinterestedness, and indefatigable zeal in prosecuting every good work, I have never seen equaled, I shall never see exceeded" (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 44).

Franklin's Missionary Vision

As a result of this friendship, Franklin moved away from his Deistic leanings and back toward his Puritan roots. The depth of Franklin's love and respect for Whitefield is demonstrated by the fact that he wanted Whitefield to be his partner in establishing a new colony on the Ohio frontier. Notice that Franklin wanted to populate it with a "religious" and industrious people. When Franklin, or any of the Founders, speak of a "religious" people they are referring to Christians.

Note also the missionary motive Franklin presented to Whitefield. He not only wanted to populate the colony with Christian people, he wanted the colony to be a base for introducing the Native Americans of that region to what he called "pure religion."

Since he is writing to Whitefield, there can be no doubt that "pure religion" in Franklin's mind was the evangelical revivalism that Whitefield preached in Philadelphia and throughout the Colonies.

Although time and circumstances did not allow them the opportunity to launch this project, I suggest that Franklin's vision for a Christian society never died but was fulfilled in the founding of the United States of America, of which he was one of the most important Founding Fathers.

Franklin's Commitment to Christian Values

Franklin was no fiery evangelist like Whitefield, but he became convinced that only Christianity provided the moral system for a stable and prosperous society. He knew that Christians were far from perfect, but at least they acknowledged a virtuous, moral standard toward which to strive and to which they could be called to adhere.

Franklin's belief in Christianity as a necessary moral force in society is why he rejected a manuscript from the well-known Deist, Thomas Paine, in which Paine attacked orthodox Christianity. Franklin, in very strong language, urged Paine not to print the book or even allow anyone else to see it. He wrote,

"I would advise you, therefore ... to burn this piece before it is seen by any other person; whereby you will save yourself a great deal of mortification by the enemies it may raise against you, and perhaps a good deal of regret and repentance. If men are so wicked with religion [Christianity], what would they be if without it" (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 49).

Franklin Calls the Constitutional Convention to Prayer

Whitfield's influence on Franklin can be seen at the Constitutional Convention 17 years after Whitefield's death. When the Convention reached an impasse and was in danger of disbanding without completing its work, it was Franklin, now 81 years of age, who arose and called the convention to prayer.

In his appeal, Franklin quoted from both the Psalms and the Gospels and reminded the attendees how God had answered their prayers during the war. Addressing the convention president, George Washington, Franklin said,

"How has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly appealing to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible to danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard and they were graciously answered. I have lived, sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I therefore beg leave to move that, henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of heaven and its blessing on our deliberation be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business" (Hyatt, The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin, 62-63).

Although his proposal was not "formally" adopted, there was much response on a personal level because of the respect with which he was held. According to those present, "an atmosphere of reconciliation seemed to settle over the convention hall." Petty grievances and local interests were laid aside, and the delegates went on to complete their task of formulating the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. I think Whitefield must have smiled down from heaven on his old friend!

Yes, Franklin Wanted a Christian America

Modern secularists love to present Franklin as a nonreligious Deist who wanted to keep Christianity out of the public domain. Such a view of Franklin, however, is based on selected quotations taken out of context and without regard for his changing views on God and Christianity as he matured. Such a view also ignores his Puritan heritage and his close friendship with Whitefield.

Franklin, like all the Founders, did not want an official, state church like the nations of Europe. He did however, want a society whose populace would be governed by Christian principles of virtue and morality. This was made clear in his letter to Whitefield, and in this sense, it is clear that Benjamin Franklin had a vision for a Christian America.

This article was derived from The Faith and Vision of Benjamin Franklin by Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt and is available from Amazon and his website bookstore atwww.eddiehyatt.com/bookstore.html. Dr. Hyatt has received a commission to reconnect America with its roots as a nation birthed out of a great, spiritual awakening and to call Americans to pray for another Great Awakening in our day. You can read more about his vision at www.eddiehaytt.com.

3 Keys George Whitefield Used to Hear God's Voice Clearly

(Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash)

EDDIE HYATT

At 23 years old, George Whitefield sat on a ship ready to sail for America from the port of Deal, located approximately 70 miles southeast of London. For some time, he had experienced a compelling call to preach the gospel to Colonial America and now the day for his departure had finally arrived. His heart was filled with gratitude, excitement and expectation.

As he waited for the ship's crew to hoist anchor and sail, a letter was delivered to him from John Wesley who had just returned from Georgia. He opened the letter and was stunned by what he read.

Wesley had written, "When I saw God, by the wind which was carrying you out, brought me in, I asked counsel of God. His answer you have enclosed." The message Wesley had enclosed was, "Let him return to London."

Whitefield was shocked and momentarily confused. Wesley was 10 years his senior and had been a mentor to him. He held the Wesley brothers, John and Charles, in very high esteem. However, this word from John contradicted everything he believed about his call to America.

He Finds the Answer in Prayer and God's Word

Whitefield went to prayer with a friend, and as they prayed, there there came to his mind a story from the Old Testament where a prophet lost his life because he listened to the words of another prophet instead of diligently adhering to what God had told him.

First Kings 13 contains the story of an unnamed prophet to whom God spoke and instructed to go to Bethel and prophesy against the idolatrous altars that had been established there by King Jeroboam. God instructed him not to stop to eat or drink but to return directly home to Judah when he had completed his assignment.

Based on this directive from the Lord, the prophet went to Bethel. As he prophesied against the idolatrous altars as instructed, they miraculously split apart and the ashes were poured out on the ground. As a result of that miracle and a miracle of healing for King Jeroboam, the king invited the prophet to his home. He refused and recounted to the king what the Lord had told him.

But as he departed Bethel, an old prophet, who heard of what had happened, saddled his donkey and caught up with the prophet and invited him to his home to eat and drink. When the first prophet recounted to him what the Lord had instructed him, the old prophet said, "I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house that he may eat bread and drink water.'" The old prophet, however, was lying.

Contrary to the instructions given him by the Lord, the prophet went back with the old prophet. While they were eating, the Spirit of the Lord came upon the old prophet and he prophesied to him that because of his disobedience he would not be buried in the tombs of his ancestors. Sure enough, upon leaving the old prophet's home, he was met by a lion in the road, which killed him, fulfilling the old lying prophet's prediction of his demise because of his disobedience.

3 Powerful Lessons

As Whitefield prayed about Wesley's letter, this story was powerfully impressed on his mind and heart. He knew that God was highlighting to him the importance of obeying the directions he had received from the Lord and to not listen to this word from another party, even such a respected one as John Wesley.

It turns out that Wesley had "cast a lot" concerning whether Whitefield should go to America. This was something Wesley and others practiced, if after diligent prayer they were unable to discern the will of God.

Exactly how he cast the lot is not clear, but it may have been as simple as putting two sheets of paper in a bowl on which was written, "Proceed to America" and "Let him return to London" and then drawing the one that said, "Let him return to London."

Hindsight is 20/20 and it is abundantly clear that Whitefield made the right decision in ignoring Wesley's prophecy and sailing for America. He ignited the Great Awakening that transformed Colonial America and prepared her for statehood. Through his incessant travels he became the most recognizable figure in America and earned for himself the title "America's Spiritual Founding Father."

Here are three powerful lessons to be derived from Whitefield's experience:

1. We are not to be led by lots, omens or prophecies. We are to be led by the indwelling Holy Spirit as Paul tells us in Romans 8:14.
2. Prophetic utterances are to be tested, even when they come from the most esteemed among us.
3. We can be confident in our own ability to hear God and know His will. 

This article is derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt's latest book entitled, George Whitefield, with the subtitle, From Poor English Inn-Keeper to the Revivalist Who Became America's Spiritual Founding Father. This book and others are available from Amazon and his website at eddiehyatt.com.

'I'd Still Be Going to Hell': Steve Harvey Tells of Salvation After Gospel Singer's Prophecy Brings Him to Tears

A gospel singer's prophetic song brought Steve Harvey to tears (Image credit: Steve Harvey Show screen capture)

Steve Harvey was brought to the point of tears after gospel singer Duranice Pace sang prophetically over him on the Steve TV Show. Now the video of the powerful encounter has gone viral with more than 10 million views on Facebook.

Harvey brought Pace on the show to tell her story about how God healed her damaged vocal cords. Little did he know, Pace also had a few words for Harvey.

Pace was horribly abused as a child and at one point was force-fed rat poison. The toxic chemicals nearly destroyed her voice.

"I believe the Lord gave me a touch when they fed me rat poison in Rochester, NY, and they had to cut out half of my vocal cords. And they said I would never talk again, but the man upstairs said, 'You gonna sing again'," Pace shared.

The gospel singer was also diagnosed with cancer and only given months to live. But she's still alive and well.

"March 28 made that 11 years ago," Pace said.

"I didn't know if I was going to be alive but God done kept me alive to see you, sir," she told Harvey.

Then she began to prophetically sing over Steve Harvey.

"This is Steve Harvey, he's a good man. He loves the Lord and he'll give you a helping hand. God's going to bless Steve Harvey," she sang. "Keep on, keep on, you helped me to live, sir, keep on … you special."

Harvey became visibly emotional and reflected on his mother, her faith, and the moment he had to decide to take her off life support.

"That was the hardest thing...to tell a doctor to take my mama off life support," he said with tears in his eyes.

"I was raised where she's in Heaven now, you know? And she watches me and she sees. I just hope she's seeing today watching this moment right here," Harvey explained.

"The only reason I straightened up and started doing right was 'cause I just wanna see her. Other than that, I'd still be going to Hell like I was," Harvey said.

Pace assured Harvey that he would see his mother, who was a devout Christian, again one day.

The talk show host said he brought Pace on to promote and support her. He didn't realize the impact she would have on him.

"You think I'm helping you, but you really helping me. I thank you because this was for me," Harvey concluded.