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bobbie, bobbie houston, Brian, Brian Houston, bully, darlene, Darlene Zschech, demonic, discernment, experience, film, gnosticism, Heaven is for Real, Heaven is for Real movie, Hillsong, Hillsong Church, houston, movie, New Age, Zschech
Real Christian teachers and pastors are stunned at the magnitude of stupidity rife within Christian churches in light of the fictional book ‘Heaven is For Real’. Here is a real CHRISTIAN pastor warning his church about the dangers of the work ‘Heaven is for Real’.
As a young website, we are only beginning to demonstrate the magnitude of the foolishness that flows from the Hillsong pulpit and its fearsome leaders, Brian (the bible butcher) and Bobbie Houston (the fake pastrix). Recently, we have seen Brian Houston and his wife Bobbie show serious pastoral incompetence in their guidance to their congregation (and worldwide Twitter followers) on important Christian issues.
This celebrity-pastor, movie-endorsing duo seem to love the limelight and are increasingly promoting films that transform the Word of God and the Christian life into myth and fable. The latest blasphemous film they are endorsing is quite disturbing for a number of reasons and poses a danger to the Body of Christ as it promotes a false Jesus and a false spirit.
BRIAN’S ENDORSEMENT
Brian Houston can’t see the dangers of the film. Here is Brian Houston endorsing the film Heaven is for Real:
“Some faith based films that have come out recently especially those that are really much closer to the “text” are a real blessing because it does give you opportunity to bring friends, bring family and even for churches. Churches go as a community, go to see movies together. And I think that’s wonderful.
I remember when initially the ‘Passion of the Christ’ came out, churches like ours, we just hired numbers and numbers and numbers of theaters and just packed them out. So it really does also give you a chance to rally the community around something that’s evangelistic, entertaining but can generally make a big difference in people’s souls where it matters.”
Rally the community around something that’s “evangelistic”? Scriptures teach us that Satan parades as an angel of light. Why rally the community around something that is opposed to God’s Word? Entertainment in this case is simply the carrot to entice gullible Christians to embrace a blasphemous film. What matters is God’s Word. If his Word is replaced with anti-Christian films like this – then Hillsong’s evangelistic attempts are worse than useless. It’s deadly to people’s souls.
Later Brian Houston addresses the issue of bullying in the film.
“The people who are most empowered to handle bullying are the people who see it happening and determine, “I am not going to stay back, I’m going to do something about this”. And confront it and create environments where it’s simply unacceptable. I guess you know if you are the one who is being bullied you can feel very helpless because you would presume the person is either more powerful than you or they’re bigger than you or they’ve got a nastier tongue than you. And often sensitive people being bullied, they don’t feel like they have a come-back. The very best thing is when people gather around them, put their arms around them and say, “You know, you don’t have to go through this by yourself”.
It’s odd hearing Brian Houston speak against bullying in this movie advert considering he has no problem slagging of Christians who hold him accountable to what he says or bullies Christians in and outside off his church into submission. Maybe Houston needs to look at himself in the mirror and consider how he uses mob-like tactics, legal intimidation and deceit to shut Christians up. Why not admonish the members at Hillsong Conference that attacked Christians at your event, Brian?
BOBBIE’S ENDORSEMENT
Recently Bobbie Houston enthusiastically recommended Christians see the blatantly New Age movie ‘Heaven is for Real’:
Very grateful to watch a pre-screening of HEAVEN IS FOR REAL film. Oh my. Beautiful. Inspiring. Delightful. Moving. Cried. Smiled. Thoroughly recommend. AND AMAZING HOW GOD IS TRULY speaking to hearts from all angles. #forsuchatimeasthis #releasedEaster
Source: rlhouston, http://instagram.com/p/mnAAdDIY3Q/, 10/04/2014. (Accessed 10/04/2014.)
If you click the thumbnail, you will see a picture in the movie of a girl painting Jesus. Why are we mentioning this artist? Because when Colton Burpo saw Akaine’s painting of Jesus, he identified it as the Jesus he saw in heaven.
NEW AGE ARTIST – AKIANE KRAMARICK
The girl in the film is Akiane painting her famous ‘Prince of Peace’ portrait of Jesus. This should alert Christians everywhere to the New Age agenda being pushed behind the movie (whether genuine agenda or not). Arkiane was heavily promoted as a child prodigy by the notorious, New Age Elijah-List collective for her spiritual paintings. Sadly, her work has been regarded as “Christian” in spite of her overall New Age tones and philosophies. You can check out some of her works here.
Even in the preview, you can see that the theology is completely wrong. Trivialising ‘heaven’ into a reich-like community is not even remotely Christian. Allowing the naive, unbiblical teachings of a four year old’s experience to now dictate and trump the truth of scripture reveals just how undescerning people like Brian and Bobbie Houston really are. So why are they pushing this film so strongly?
Is it because Hillsong’s beloved Darlene Zschech was involved behind the scenes for the musical production of the film and want to flog no other name but Jesus their brand name? (Edit 16/04/2014: While we know Zschech no longer attends Hillsong Church a commentor said something similar and stated “her latest album was produced by Louie Giglio, it’s not financially connected with Hillsong”. If this is true then we will acknowledge this. However, that does not mean that Darlene won’t help Hillsong further their brand name, as she identifies herself as a close friend. The song below ends with the lyrics, “Heaven, heaven is so real”. This may be a coincidence although Brian, Bobbie and Darlene are known around the world for representing the Hillsong brand.)
There are a significant number of articles that examine the dodgy theology behind the book which should give people the idea just how bad the film (and the book) is. We have sampled a few excellent ones here, and hope that our readers will enjoy the different observations these writers have made. Overwhelmingly, these Christian commentators were highly critical of the book and have biblical grounds for refuting the claims made by Burpo and others making similar claims. Most of the authors of these articles also identified the New Age undertones of the book’s content and expressed their concern over how human experience is trumping the truth of Scripture.
Film Adaptation of ‘Heaven Is for Real’ Being Planned; T.D. Jakes to Produce
Heaven is for Real But the Movie is Not
Heaven is For Real – This Story is Not
Book Review: Heaven is for real
Demonic Deceptions in the Heaven stories. (Mostly about the Colton Burpo story Heaven Is For Real)
NOTE: All screen grabs were taken on the 11/04/2014.
Hillsong Church Watch 
Oh boy,ánother movie claiming to be ‘Christian’ when it actually contradicts Scripture. This type of story was semi-popular in the ‘1980’s with the book ‘Final Frontier’.[ phil pringle knows it well.]..i think they even made a low-budget movie out of it.
This is yet ‘another’ attempt to label worldly vain imaginings as supposedly Christian Belief.
Bible believing Christians should, and do, reject this as false whilst the only people who do believe it are sure to be lacking in Scriptural knowledge and are ‘persuaded’ to believe a lie.
These types of ‘media’ should be labelled UBC [unsuitable for Biblical Christians] or NBN [ non-Biblical nonsense].
The more the ‘difference’ is spelt out to the public, the less likely it may be for unwary Christians to support these movies or materials, and the less likely any money will be made from them.
Just quickly…I googled ‘people who have gone to heaven’…guess how many ?
About 170,000,000 results. Heaven must be busy accommodating all these earthly ‘visitors’…must be something in the water.
Once upon a time, John Laws had the deliberate mistake on his radio program. Is that what you do, slip a deliberate mistake into every post? Darlene Zschech has nothing much to do with Hillsong these days, beyond still having friends there. She didn’t attend the Hillsong 30th anniversary last year (which was before she was diagnosed with breast cancer), and she didn’t attend Brian Houston’s 60th Birthday / 40th year in ministry celebrations this year. And her latest album was produced by Louie Giglio, it’s not financially connected with Hillsong.
I agree that Heaven is for real, but that book and movie are not.
Thank you NewTaste for your contribution.
In a way I can see why Houston wants to be associated with a book/movie that might capture the imagination of a large number of non-Christians, because he wants as many as possible of them to come to him – so he gets more $$$!
However in this case the truth is indeed inconvenient as is summed up so eloquently by David Platt – such journeys just don’t happen which means in the very best case the book is a fabrication, and at its very worst it’s spiritual manipulation from the dark side. I would think there is enough wrong with it for a Christian pastor with sound judgement to stay well away from this sort of nonsense…
As much as I dislike what Huston is doing, I dislike what you are doing as we’ll. I rest on my Lords sacrifice for me on the cross and that’s what I preach to others. As far as the movie heaven is for real, I will go see it. I am sure you won’t see it. It might put your salvation in danger. Be careful!
“As much as I dislike what Huston is doing, I dislike what you are doing as we’ll”.
So….you dislike BOTH sides????????????????????
Ha ha, that’s funny
An insightful article, well-titled “Sola Experienca is For Real.” And Brian & Bobbie Houston are part of the problem….
“There are many factors that make evangelism difficult. There is the internal spiritual alienation from God that renders the unbeliever unimpressed by God and therefore unresponsive to him in worship (Col. 1:21; 2 Cor. 4:4-6). Then there is the fog of worldliness that reinforces the heart’s unsubmissiveness to God and his Word (1 Jn. 2:16-17). We see this with the ongoing marketing of personal autonomy, self-discovery, and satisfaction in created things.
But there is another contributor to the fog that is very unhelpful. I am talking about the authority of personal experience. Today our personal experience and personal interpretation of that experience is the unquestionable authority that all must submit to.
Earlier this week I was talking to a number of unbelievers about Jesus. In the midst of the conversation one told me that he can see the future. He said that he has, on a few occasions, been able to see what was going to happen. He pointed to his buddy for confirmation and, as you’d expect, got the requisite head nod. I know that in this conversation I cannot slash the tires of his experience. If I even pull out the knife of reason or testing he will shut me down. Personal experience and our interpretation of it is the authority. We might call it “sola experiencia”.
After this talk with my new friends I thought about what we as Christians could be doing better to communicate the authority of the Bible. Within an hour I was reading about the new movie to be released this weekend about the runaway bestseller, Heaven is for Real. In this book, as I’m sure you are aware, a 6-year-old boy reportedly went to heaven and then came back to tell us all about it. Our supernaturalist society gobbled up the book. The family is a professing Christian family from small-town Nebraska. I am sure they are nice and truly believe all of what they wrote and say. However, what they are doing is unwittingly contributing to the fog that reinforces the heart’s unsubmissiveness to God and his word.
To make matters worse, and prove my point further, shortly after seeing this I noticed that a large evangelical church in Omaha (Christ Community Church) is hosting the boy to tell his story. Of course there are costs associated (tickets are $5 and $10 in advance, $20 for skip-the-line VIP seating, $15 at the door.)
I am sure you can see the problem here. We have a culture awash in a neo-gnosticism that gobbles up personal experience like samples at Costco. We cannot resist them. Then we have people everywhere telling their own stories and then interpreting them with authority. And of course we have a church that goes right along with it to reinforce “sola experiencia” to the thousands who attend each Sunday morning.
There was a time when experience saluted Scripture. In Second Peter 1:16-18 the apostle Peter recounts the story of the transfiguration of Jesus. “We were with him,” Peter says. This is the stuff bestsellers are made of! However, Peter doesn’t stop there. In a culture where the buds of gnosticism were already growing and the “sola experiencia” was taking shape he says this:
“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:19–21)
Peter had the greatest story. He could have trumped anyone. Instead of pushing “sola experiencia” he pushes Sola Scriptura. Pay attention to the Bible he says. It is not subject to our bound by personal experience and autonomy–it is the direct result of God speaking it! According to Peter, experience salutes Scripture, not the other way around. I love what my friend Burk Parsons tweeted along these lines:
“Heaven is for real, not because someone claims to have been there, but because the one who came from heaven said it was.”
Evangelism is hard work for a number of reasons but we are making it even harder when we carry around our own personal fog machines to obscure people’s view of the Bible. After all, remember that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of….experience? No. Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). People need to hear the Bible or they will not become Christians. Far from being helpful for people this type of thing only hinders evangelism while impeding sanctification.”
http://www.ordinarypastor.com/?p=14376
I battle to understand why we cannot all just work together is serving God world wide. Yes, I am sure that the Hillsong leaders have sinned and have messed up but look at the amount of lives that are saved for the Kingdom. No one comes into your church and points out all of your mistakes and sins, which there is because we are all human, and then places it on the internet. We all mess up so how can we point out another’s faults? The day you stop sinning- that’s when you can put these posts up! We are all sinners but by the Grace of God we can receive forgiveness and I am sure that the Hillsong leaders have asked for forgiveness time and time again, it is only God who can grant that, not your approval of them! Just something to think about 🙂
@Erin – while I wouldn’t want to seem unkind Erin, I certainly agree with Amused’s sentiments.
Brian Houston et al are now in a position to influence tens of millions of people, worldwide, with his thinking, teaching and ‘church model’ (if you can call it that!) and that will spell disaster for those who succumb to that influence, and many of those around them.
The Church is really Christ’s ‘called out ones’ (ekklesia) who have given their lives to Christ and have devoted themselves to the true worship of God, the salvation and restoration of the lost and to regular study of, and submission to His word, the Bible. What places like Hillsong offer, is (at best) a very watered down ‘gospel’, which is really not a saving Gospel, at all, but lots of entertainment and ‘networking’. What they want in return, are your time, talents, energy and money, while they go about building their own ‘kingdom’ and not the kingdom of God…
It seems to me and many others that Brian Houston and other “church” leaders like him, sold out the Kingdom of God decades ago, in order to pursue fame and fortune through the notorious ‘prosperity’ gospel – the false doctrines of E.W. Kenyon, as espoused by Hagin, Copeland and a whole host of false prophets and teachers, too numerous to name here.
Houston’s ‘sermons’ are little more than motivational talks with one or two scriptures thrown in to make them look good in front of the crowd. Never mind the alleged scandals either – a half dozen or more that in the last little while, would see him dismissed in short order, from any decent church leadership circle on a number of counts. They’ve been revealed on this and other blogs, many times in the past… no need to mention them again.
Is this the kind of person that you want the whole church to come into “unity” with? If not, there are plenty more like him, who have their own church ‘brand’ to promote, the same false teaching (hyper faith, ‘little Gods’ Jesus went to Hell, etc) and then there’s the other folks over at the NAR, whom we could just label “False Revivals Inc.” because that’s what they do…
Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one, and that’s true, but there are no differences in doctrine within the Godhead, and so there can only be a unity of those who profess sound doctrine, which the Bible teaches, beginning with a saving Gospel, based on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. There is no room for Gnosticism, Mysticism, money grubbing (tithing sermons?) and other marketing tricks that Houston uses regularly, in the Kingdom of God – none at all!
False prophet ministries always seek to put Jesus/God down, and put themselves up into some kind of “god like” position – how could you expect the faithful brethren, who accept Bible truth (as opposed to doctrines of devils,) to ever come into unity with Hillsong, and a thousand other ‘false profit’ ministries just like them?
“but look at the amount of lives that are saved for the Kingdom”
Well yes Erin, we are looking – long and hard, at those who are supposedly “getting saved” and it saddens me to say that all that happens in a majority of cases, is that a lot of people end up “going to church”, but that is NOT the same as ‘getting saved’!
People who have experienced a genuine conversion through repentance, tend to exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit – some of that fruit comes almost straight away, and some comes later on, as the new believer grows in grace and the knowledge of the word. So if all of these people who are ‘getting saved’ also have “Kingdom fruit” in their lives, I say well done – and if not, then it would be best for them to move on to another church where they can, in fact, get saved – for real!
Things are not always what they appear to be Erin, and that’s why we have to use the word, in order to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1) and see which ministries are of God, otherwise we’ll end up being deceived, just like them. That’s why ‘unity’ as you see it (based on works, but not Bible truth), can never happen between the false prophets and the true believers, of which there are many more than just us, spread throughout the world.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves…” Matthew 7:15
“I battle to understand why we cannot all just work together [in] serving God world wide.”
That’s a very compelling argument, Erin. Have you stopped to consider the destination to which it will lead if it is followed to its logical conclusion? It would lead to a one-world church, just as you yourself say: “[…] all […] together […] world wide”.
So it seems that you are quite willing to sacrifice God’s truth on the altar of false unity, and that, when the time comes, you will have no qualms in committing yourself heart and soul to the syncretistic system of institutionalised blasphemy over which the anti-christ will reign.
Did you know that Brian Houston is already ahead of you on that very same path? If you watch his eyes carefully when he speaks from behind the lectern, you may be able to discern that he is not working alone. Unless Brian repents, he is going to suffer the consequences of the judgement he has heaped up for himself over all these years – he will be consigned to a place where his worm will not die and his fire will not be quenched. But if you don’t have a problem with that, please feel free to follow in his footsteps – after all, it is God who has given you the free will to make that choice.
But remember this: there are roads without number that lead to the lake of fire, but not one that leads out. Just something for you to think about.