JOEL 2 GENERATION

If you looked at the modern-day Charismatic church, you might think the answer is "on a stage" or "in front of a camera" and the person (or people) using the gifts would probably be some type of "celebrity" minister(s). And what has been the outcome of such a model? The pressure "to perform" has led to fake prophetic words (i.e. Shawn Bolz) and many "claims" to people being healed that in fact were not healed at all (i.e. Benny Hinn). I fully understand why there has been the current exodus from the Charismatic church. At best, they end up moving into another Christian tradition that has more integrity and less fakery. At worst, they deconstruct and lose their faith entirely. To quote one of my mentors, "the misuse of something does not warrant its disuse but rather its RIGHT use!". While I can sympathize with those who journey into non-Charismatic churches (i.e. Reformed), the fact that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit continued ...

Irenaeus (AD 180) -  “Those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform miracles, so as to promote the welfare of others, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ] and join the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions and speak the prophecies they have received. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are healed. Moreover, as I have said, even the dead have been raised and remained among us for many years. And what more can I even say? It is not even possible to number all of the gifts which the Church, throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and which Christians demonstrate daily for the benefit of the unbelievers, neither deceiving them nor takin...

Having just listened to a sobering and helpful response by Stephen Powell to Dr. Michael Brown's new video release. I've included the link here: Stephen Powell Video I have greatly appreciated Stephen Powell's videos who himself was/is a victim of clergy sexual abuse and who had to expose his own mentor, Todd Bentley, as an unrepentant sexual predator.  Powell's critique of the the current state of the Charismatic Church is a fresh of breath air. He speaks/writes AS A CHARISMATIC himself. So, unlike the Cessationist critics, who are by definition anti-Charismatic, Powell is an insider who is contending for a Charismatic Church that deals with sin, and with false doctrines/practices. Beyond that, he is one of the voices that is questioning the very structure of the platformed, celebrity pastor (or prophet, healing evangelist, apostle) structure of churches and/or ministries. I agree with him. I believe God is not simply exposing sin and/or false teachings in the Body of ...

1 Peter 4:17 - For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God PODCAST LINK There is a growing consensus that God is currently judging His Church and Christian ministries. Of course, He has always done so. It was happening in the 1st Century when the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote the Epistle of 1st Peter. And it seems to be happening at an ever-increasing pace today. He's exposing sin and false teachings. He is shedding light onto lifestyles that are hard to imagine belong to followers of the one who said He "has no place to lay his head" (Matt. 8:20). It should be producing the fear of God amongst His people. It should be producing repentance in the ones being exposed. I am not sure it is producing either.  I end this podcast by highlighting something else I believe God is judging - the very structure and nature of Church and ministries. I think many who are applauding the exposures and correction God is bringing are not yet...

I think far too many Christians today have allowed the kingdom of darkness and its influence to become far too big in their lives over and against the resources of God and His Kingdom. On the other side, there are Christians who hardly believe in the influence of the demonic realm, as if somehow once the Bible was finished, the devil retired and ceased to be the "god of this world" ( 2 Cor. 4:4 ). But in my camp, there are simply too many believers that allow the attacks of the enemy to overwhelm them. And somehow a lie enters in that the resources of God and His Kingdom don't seem be enough. They would never say this of course, but in practice, it has become their reality. Today as I was doing a study in the early Christian church with regards to angels, I came across this 3rd century quotation: "[God] does no less than to set His own angels over His devout servants, so that none of the hostile angels - nor even he who is called “the prince of this world” [Jn. 14:30...

Countless Americans will be donning something green and getting drunk in St. Patrick’s honor today, who obviously know NOTHING about who St. Patrick really was. If they did, they would realize they are actually dishonoring him. In fact, most of what Christians have heard about St. Patrick amounts to Fake ‘Theological’ News. Different Christian traditions all want to claim Patrick as their own, the Roman Catholic Church being the loudest voice. Modern day Charismatics also like to reference his prophetic gifting and miracles. There have been a growing number of other Christians in recent years claiming to be “Celtic” and/or seeking to recover Celtic roots or Celtic ‘spirituality’. Sadly, much of that is distorted and often infused with New Age beliefs and ideas. Other historical revisionists will look to the Celtic Christians to justify other ideas/agendas – such as radical feminism and even environmentalism. So, who gets Patrick right? Who in our time represents him and his legacy the ...