Is Hillsong “championing” the cause of your local church? An insider from Calvary Kendall Miami shines a light behind the scenes as to how Hillsong assimilates churches into their movement:
It’s done by deceit.
This type of unethical take-over of churches is a reoccurring phenomena within the Hillsong movement. Significant churches that have been taken over by Hillsong are:
Garden City Church
Grace City Church
Oslo Christian Center
Pay attention to the warning signs.
CALVARY CHAPEL “TAKE-OVER” IN MIAMI
Imagine: It’s 2010 and you are happy at your Calvary Chapel church. All seems to be going well. Then the senior pastor decides he wants to change direction and become a Hillsong copy and join the Hillsong family. But you don’t know this. All you know is your pastor kicked you out because you believe in Jesus and His Word. Then you find out what was happening because Christians online were forced to take their experiences online and warn everybody about your pastor’s agenda.
This is what people experienced under the leadership of Hillsong “Family” leader Pedro Garcia at Calvary Kendall, Miami.
“Pastor” Pedro of Calvary Kendall was influenced to do church differently after attending a Hillsong Concert in 2010. Later, Pedro personally met with Hillsong’s senior leader Brian Houston over dinner. Houston invited Pedro to have his church join the Hillsong Family. This invitation was kept secret and “Pastor” Pedro Garcia proceeded to start the process of assimilation into Hillsong without telling his congregation of his agenda.
In our previous article, “The Latest Unholy Alliance – Hillsong and Bethel”, we linked to an upcoming Bethel event, “OpenHeavens” with Brian Houston as a keynote speaker.
The “unholy alliance” continues as Bethel embarks on its own courtship with the Pope.
Tony Miano writes,
Bethel Redding’s Courtship with Belial
Kris Vallotton, second in command of the Bethel Redding cult, recently met Pope Francis–an antichrist.
I have well-documented the unbiblical, blasphemous beliefs and practices of a group I believe is a cult–Bethel Redding. My research and documentation includes information about Bethel’s second-in-command,Kris Vallotton. Today, Vallotton met Pope Francis–head of the apostate Roman Catholic Church and an antichrist. As I write this article, Vallotton’s Facebook photo with the pope has 240 shares, 290 comments, and over 5,700 reactions. Vallotton’s remarks, along with many of the comments attached to the photo, serve as examples of Bethel Redding’s courtship with Belial.
Who is Belial?
The word/name “Belial” appears in only verse in the Bible–2 Corinthians 6:15.
“What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?”
“The passage is remarkable as being the only occurrence of the name in the New Testament, all the more so because it does not appear in the Greek version of the Old. The Hebrew word signifies ‘vileness, worthlessness;’ and the ‘sons of Belial’ (as in Deuteronomy 13:13; 1 Samuel 2:12; 1 Samuel 25:17) were therefore the worthless and the vile. The English version, following the Vulgate, translates the phrase as though Belial were a proper name, and this has led to the current belief, as shown in Milton’s poems, that it was the name of a demon or fallen angel, the representative of impurity—
‘Belial came last, than whom a spirit more lewd,
Fell not from heaven, or more gross to love
Vice for itself.’—Paradise Lost, i. 490.
‘Belial, the dissolutest spirit that fell,
The sensualest, and, after Asmodai,
The fleshliest incubus.’—Paradise Regained, ii. 204.
“St. Paul’s use of the word would seem to imply that some such belief was floating among the Jews in his time. A strange legend, which possibly had a Jewish origin (it is referred to certain necromantici), is found in an obscure and forgotten book (Wierus: Pseudo-Monarchia Dæmonum), to the effect that Solomon was led by a certain woman to bow before the image of Belial, who is represented as worshipped by the Babylonians. Of that worship there is no trace in history; and Milton seems to have recognised this—
‘To him no temple stood
Nor altar smoked.’
“But if the name had gathered these associations round it, we can understand St. Paul’s using it as representing, or, as it were, personifying, the whole system of impure cultus that prevailed in the worship of Aphrodite at Corinth.”
In his work, Notes on the Bible, Albert Barnes explains the term “Belial” this way:
“Belial – Βελίαλ Belial or Βελίαρ Beliar, as as it is found in some of the late editions. The form Beliar is Syriac. The Hebrew word בּליּצל beliya‛al means literally without profit; worthlessness; wickedness. It is here evidently applied to Satan. The Syriac translates it ‘Satan.’ The idea is, that the persons to whom Paul referred, the pagan, wicked, unbelieving world, were governed by the principles of Satan, and were ‘taken captive by him at his will’ (2 Timothy 2:26 compare John 8:44), and that Christians should be separate from the wicked world, as Christ was separate from all the feelings, purposes, and plans of Satan. He had no participation in them; he formed no union with them; and so it should be with the followers of the one in relation to the followers of the other.”
Whether Belial is a demonic entity or a type of person, followers of Christ are to never engage in any spiritual enterprise (prayer, worship, ministry, etc.) with unbelievers, with practitioners of false religions–with Belial, with those who are of their father, the devil.
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty’” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
Vallotton professes to be a Christian, yet he lauds the leader and practitioner of a false religion. He does this with seemingly nary a care for the billion lost souls in Roman Catholicism and without a care for the soul of a lost old man he would call “brother.” Why the fascination with Francis?
Vallotton’s Fascination with Francis
Vallotton makes no secret about his man-crush on the pope. “I had the privilege of meeting Pope Francis today with some other pastors. He is really a great man. I love him a ton!” This is how Vallotton captioned his photo of his meeting with the pope.
A great man? How can any professing Christian refer to the present leading antichrist in the world as a “great man?” And how exactly does Vallotton define a “great man,” if the pope (the leader of an apostate religion that spiritually [and sometimes physically] abuses, enslaves, coerces, extorts, and manipulates more than a billion people) as his example?
Earlier this year, Vallotton did a “blog swap” with Lisa Bevere. Lisa is married to John Bevere–the man who takes credit for giving the New Apostolic Reformation its name in 1994 and for being the apostate and blasphemous movement’s “intellectual godfather.”
Earlier this year, writing on Lisa Bevere’s blog, Vallotton penned an article titled Women Leaders in the Church. Vallotton begins the article as follows:
“In a recent interview with America Magazine, the Pope spoke of his concern for women to find their proper role in the Church. He said, ‘Women are asking deep questions that must be addressed. The Church cannot be herself without the woman and her role.’
“I agree with the Pope. I have an amazing wife, two daughters, a daughter-in-law and three granddaughters that wake up every day to a world of discrimination simply because of their gender. But the most troubling aspect of this oppression is that the Church is often found leading it! Many believers have developed a theology that proactively uses the Bible to disqualify women from the most formidable roles of leadership, especially in the Church. I am appalled by the number of Christian leaders who are convinced that women are not as qualified, called, and/or gifted to lead as men are.”
Vallotton, a feminist and an egalitarian, doesn’t even try to hide his cards. He lacks the wisdom and discernment to differentiate between the Roman Catholic Church and the true Church–the Bride of Christ. He lacks the wisdom and discernment to differentiate between a Christian and an antichrist. He sees the pope as a spiritual brother, a “great man” who he “loves a ton.” Of course it’s only my opinion, but I believe the reason is that both Vallotton and Pope Francis are of the same spiritual father–the devil (John 8:44).
Some NAR, Bethel Redding, and Vallotton apologists will no doubt cry foul (they do every time I dare to touch who they believe is one of the Lord’s “anointed”). They will accuse me of faulting Vallotton for “loving” the pope. They will accuse me of not loving the pope. It’s not true. I don’t believe Vallotton is capable of loving the pope with a love that matters–the kind of love that would call the pope to repent and believe the gospel.
Vallotton’s Lost Sheep Followers of Belial
As disturbing as Vallotton’s man-crush on the pope is, the comments of Vallotton’s lost sheep followers of Belial are just as bad–if not worse. Here are a few low-lights:
“I’m glad you love him [the pope]. So do I ..He has such a heart for the Lord.”
And…..
“We are one in the spirit
We are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity
May one day be restored.
“Please tell me you gave Him a word. That would be incredible to honor him that way. Awesome to see this.”
And…..
“Not a false teacher at all. Some would toss those claims towards Bethel as well. Just because you read your bible differently, doesn’t make it false… Careful how tight you hold water/theologies. The tighter you grip the more you loose.”
It’s the blind leading the blind. It’s a wolf leading deceived sheep (or goats). These quotes are heartbreaking examples of people who may very-well one day hear Jesus say:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23).
Closing Thoughts
Kris Vallotton has once again shown himself to be a friend of Belial and not a follower of Christ. Vallotton lacks the wisdom and discernment to recognize Pope Francis as an antichrist, likely for the same reason a billion Roman Catholics fail to do so. He is lost and needs to repent and come to faith in Jesus Christ. I hope and pray he does while God has given him time.
If after reading this article you’ve come to realize that Bethel Redding and Kris Vallotton have led you astray, if after reading this you are questioning what you believe, please take the time to read Our Message.
Paul and Jan Crouch run, according to Holly Pivec, the NAR Organization ‘Trinity Broadcasting Network’ (TBN).*
Recently, Jan Crouch passed away, not to heaven – but to the eternal flame for her false and blasphemous TBN ministry. We’re not rejoicing over this – this is a tragedy.
But what makes this more of a tragedy is that other false teachers will be joining her in their attempt to try and convince people that heretics like Jan Crouch are now in heaven.
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
One such false teacher is Brian Houston. He recently decided to publish this sycophantic tweet on Jan Crouch:
“Today Jan Crouch enters heaven as @HillsongChannel commences tomorrow. It’s only possible because of her legacy.”
Source: Brian Houston, Twitter, https://twitter.com/BrianCHouston/status/737637066918494208, Published 31/05/2016. (Accessed 31/05/2016.)
That’s very disturbing but at the same time, not surprising.
Christianity has claimed for centuries the eternal fate of false teachers – so we’re not going to shy away from saying that Jan Crouch may now be in hell for her unrepentant sin and apostate ministry?
Furthermore, it’s entirely inappropriate for Brian Houston to capitalize on the death of Jan Crouch to promote his own HillsongChannel. And it’s quite sycophantic to call on her so-called “influence” to suggest that his HillsongChannel is the result of “her legacy”.
We’ve seen Brian and Bobbie Houston act from this sycophantic framework before to further their own name and ministry. However, Brian’s stunt this time is very concerning on such a fundamental level and definitely uncalled for.
Brian Houston has continually shown he lacks compassion for pedophile victims, sexually and physically abused women and now even the dead and their grieving families.
Someone was not happy with Brian Houston capitalizing on Jan Crouch’s death to promote his HillsongChannel (warning – this comment may offend):
Source: Harry Perry, Twitter, https://twitter.com/PerrysSuitcase/status/737646546309636096, 7:06am 31/05.2016.
And of course, it took someone in the secular world to clearly point out the obvious hypocrisy of Houston’s tweet.
Jan Crouch’s Death Evokes Tributes From Hillsong Church’s Brian Houston, Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton
Tributes are pouring in for Trinity Broadcasting Network co-founder Jan Crouch, who died at the age of 78 following a massive stroke last week, including from popular pastors and award-winning Christian music artists.
“Today Jan Crouch enters heaven as @HillsongChannel commences tomorrow. It’s only possible because of her legacy,” tweeted Brian Houston, senior pastor of the influential Hillsong Church that started in Australia but now as campuses around the world.
Meanwhile, Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer Donnie McClurkin tweeted, “My heart is broken in several different ways. MY dear FRIEND..JAN CROUCH has passed away. PRAY for the crouch family.”
Fellow Grammy winning singer-songwriter Israel Houghton tweeted, “My deepest condolences to the @TBN & Crouch family. I knew Momma Jan for 25 years. She was always kind to me.”
Meanwhile Pastor Ron Carpenter of Redemption World Outreach Center in Greenville, South Carolina, wrote on Twitter, “Paul and Jan Crouch invited me into the TBN family 2009..that microphone changed my life forever. I’m saddened by her passing. #legacy”
Hispanic Evangelical leader the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez tweeted, “Our condolences to the entire @TBN family at the passing of Jan Crouch. Paul and Jan changed the world. Now it’s our turn to lift Jesus high.”
Crouch’s family announced her death early on Tuesday, with son Matthew writing:
“Laurie and I have just watched the transition of our precious Mother from this world to the next; watched her step into the presence of Jesus and into her heavenly reward.”
The family statement added: “Jan Crouch, known around the world as Momma Jan, has gone home.”
TBN had shared last week that Crouch was taken to the hospital after suffering a massive stroke in Florida, with the news amassing sympathy and well wishes from church leaders and other prominent Christian figures around the world.
Christian singer Carman Licciardello said on Facebook that he had been close to Crouch for 40 years, calling her “family.”
“We have won countless souls to Christ together through that network. She is the best friend you can ever have when your going through a crisis and feel like everyone has abandoned you. Example: when I went through 10 months of cancer treatment and sent out 600 letters to 600 churches I’ve ministered at, for support, and not one responded, it was Jan who paid my bills so I could focus on my fight with cancer,” Licciardello revealed.
Christian metal singer Michael Sweet added:
“So sad to hear about the passing of TBN Trinity Broadcasting Network co-founder, Jan Crouch. She was always extremely kind to me and always supported everything I did. I was a guest many times over the years and I am grateful for her generosity. God Bless You Jan! Our prayers and thoughts go out to the entire Crouch family.”
Others, including J.D. Bellamy, who serves under Pastor Paula White, noted the reach and size of her legacy:
“This morning we are sadden by the death of Mrs. Jan Crouch. You touched millions around the world! We are beyond sure that your legacy will forever live on!” Bellamy wrote.
Crouch’s husband and fellow TBN co-founder Paul Franklin Crouch died at aged 79 in November 2014.
Source: By Stoyan Zaimov, Jan Crouch’s Death Evokes Tributes From Hillsong Church’s Brian Houston, Donnie McClurkin, Israel Houghton, Christian Post, http://www.christianpost.com/news/jan-crouch-death-trinity-broadcasting-network-hillsong-church-brian-houston-donnie-mcclurkin-israel-houghton-164661/, Published 31/05/2016. (Accessed 31/05/2016.)
* Holly Pivec, God’s Super Apostles, Published Weaver Book Company: US, 2014, pg. 6
Popular Charismatic Worship Artist, Kari Jobe, Teaching Dangerous Theology
It’s never-ending. The apostasy, the lack of discernment, the gullibility. How can anyone who proclaims the name of Jesus Christ not recognize the dismal state of the professing church? Words cannot even begin to describe the how far away the church is from Christ in these days. The attractions, the concerts, the conferences. People joining hands with those teaching for shameful gain things they ought not to teach. This is not revival, but the falling away in it’s most deceptive and extreme form–a form of godliness that denies its power.
Tickets go on sale in May for Outcry Tour 2016. The music festival will be held in several cities around the nation, and features some of the most lauded names in “worship.” The groups include Hillsong, Kari Jobe, Rend Collective, Housefires, Urban Rescue, Chad Veach, and none other than Elevation Worship.
Now, I’m not exactly sure who these people are worshiping, but it isn’t Jesus. Yet, thousands of Christians are blindly sending their children to partake in this evil.
In the Charismatic Evangelical church, there is a movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). It is a movement that elevates experience above doctrinal truth. Often times you will see many with contradictory beliefs about the basic tenets of Christianity come together in prayer and worship. This is the driving force behind this modern worship scene that’s creeping into once solid churches.
Hillsong United is among the most deceitful and subversive worship music movements. Hillsong music is popular, and is played throughout even some of the most theologically solid churches, deceptively luring people away from doctrinal truth and into an experiential form of idolatry that removes Jesus as the sole object of worship, and places the emphasis on ear-tickling lyrics and music that draws on people’s emotions. Read more about them here.
But another of Outcry’s featured singers, Kari Jobe, is also a popular musician being promoted in churches, especially to our youth. Jobe, out of seeker-sensitive NAR Robert Morris’ Gateway church, is known for popular songs like I Am Not Alone, and Love Came Down. She is also under the leadership of Gateway’s NAR Apostle and elder, Jack Hayford, author of the song Majesty, which teaches the heretical “Kingdom Now” theology. However, she is one of those who are teaching for shameful gain things she ought not to teach (Titus 1:11).
One of her most popular songs, Forever, published by Bethel Music (the same outfit that produced Jesus Culture), contains some really aberrant theology. Besides the fact that she’s a female pastor in a church, her theology alone should be enough to disqualify her as a teacher. Below is a sample of her lyrics:
One final breath He gave
As heaven looked away
The Son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken
Then, In an interview about her song, Forever, she said,
My favorite part of the whole thing is … we talk about the death on the cross and we talk about the resurrection,but that time in between was when Jesus was in hell rendering hell. And ransacking hell. And defeating the enemy – taking those keys to death and hell and the grave to be victorious over that when he rose from the dead.
Of course, we can pick apart almost any song, even some of the best traditional hymns. But the serious error here is that she is teaching a heresy that strikes at the heart of Christian theology, which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. She gets a pass, though, you know, because “artistic license and stuff.”
This idea that Jesus died and went to Hell stems from an old heresy that is prominent in Word of Faith circles that teach that Jesus died spiritually, and was “born again” after defeating Satan in Hell. Popular teachers of this false teaching are Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, and Creflo Dollar. Joyce Meyer writes in her book, The Most Important Decision You’ll Ever Make, the following:
Jesus paid on the cross and went to hell in my place. Then as God had promised, on the third day Jesus rose from the dead. The scene in the spirit realm went something like this: God rose up from his throne and said to demon powers tormenting the sinless son of God, “let him go.” Then the resurrection power of Almighty God went through hell and filled Jesus. On earth his grave where they had buried him was filled with light as the power of God filled his body. He was resurrected from the dead–the first born again man. (source)
And Kenneth Copeland similarly writes:
For three days He suffered everything there is to suffer. Some people don’t want to believe that. They want to believe that after His death, Jesus just stayed in that upper region of Sheol that the Bible calls paradise, but they’re mistaken! If He had simply stayed there, there would have been no price paid for sin. (source)
This flies right in the face of biblical truth that Christ’s death on the cross was victorious over sin. Jesus proclaimed victory in his final breath on the cross (John 19:28-30). Jesus had no need to go to Hell to finish any work, and he certainly did not die spiritually (John 17:4, Acts 2:31, Col 2:14, etc.).
But if denying the power of the cross isn’t enough to turn your head away from Kari Jobe’s music, perhaps her treatment of Jesus would be enough to make your stomach turn. Another popular song, The More I Seek You, she treats Jesus more like a lover than a savior.
The more I seek you,
The more I find you
The more I find you, the more I love you
I wanna sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breathe, feel your heart beat
This love is so deep, it’s more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it’s overwhelming
Besides the theology in this song just being plain horrible, she displays a total lack of understanding of God’s love for us. God’s love for us is not an erotic (Greek: eros) love, but agape. Agape is a parental, sacrificial, unconditional love, whereas eros is a bodily, emotional kind of love. The lyrics in this song pervert the nature of God’s love.
I don’t see how anyone could worship our sovereign God to music like this, yet the eroticizing of God’s love for us is gaining steam. Hillsong’s Forever Reign is another popular song in evangelical churches that does this, while Ann Voskamp, a popular women’s bible study writer, and author, pushes the same foolishness in her book, 1000 Gifts. Voskamp writes, “I fly to Paris and discover how to make love to God.”
One of the Hallmarks of NAR worship is to use repetitive phrases and rhythmic cadences to draw people into a trance-like state, believing that by doing so, you can have intimacy with God. In reality, what it does is cause people to zone out, and not really think about what they are saying. Being under the influence of NAR Apostle, Jack Hayford, who has been instrumental in transforming the worship music scene, it comes as no surprise that her music incorporates this tactic. Jack Hayford claims direct, divine revelation from God, and says that while driving by a Catholic church, God directly told him not to judge them. He says God directly said to him,
Why would I not be happy with a place [Catholic Church] where every morning the testimony of the blood of my Son is raised from the altar?
Being that the Catholic Church worships a false Jesus, you can rest assured that Hayford did not hear that from God. Yet, this is a man influencing Kari Jobe, and many other modern worship music artists.
All of this and more is what the evangelical church is feeding its sheep. Wolves, snake oil salesmen, bad theology…and nobody bats an eye. Children are being sent off to church camps and “Christian” concerts to be fed goat’s milk through worship. Sadly, many truly love Jesus, and desire to worship him rightly, but have no idea that their music is leading them down a path of destruction. Music is tearing down doctrinal lines and creating unholy alliances at a faster pace than once thought possible. No longer do Evangelicals, Catholics, and other professing Christians have to stand against each other over “matters of secondary importance…like the Bible,” we can now unite around our new idol of worship music.
In his book Live Love Lead, Brian Houston recalls the time he found out about his father’s shocking secret in late October 1999:
“… and I thought to myself, “This is not just immoral-this is criminal.” My father had committed paedophilia.”
pg. 80.
Eight months later after that confession in late October 1999, Brian Houston published a book titled ‘You Can Change the Future: Living Beyond Today and Impacting the Generations Ahead‘, praising the life, ministry and person of his father… in which he forgot to mention his father was a paedophile (and was currently under discipline).
This article will examine excerpts of this controversial book.
For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. — Rom. 16:18
In January 2015, “Pastrix” Christine Caine, along with an evidently subservient husband, started a “ministry” called Propel Women. The tagline for this “ministry” is “Celebrating Every Woman’s Passion, Purpose, and Potential.”
I’ve looked in the New Testament. I just can’t find any Scriptural support for a ministry goal of “celebrating” women … or men … or anything else. Nope, the singular zenith of the New Testament is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It seems all the New Testament writers exalted Jesus, celebrated Him, and no one else. Let me prove it with just one verse:
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.Romans 11:36
From the outset with Caine, the fundamental doctrine of the authority of Scripture is denied. “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet,” (1 Timothy 2:12) comes to us from the apparently misogynistic Apostle Paul. But, since all Scripture is “theopneustos”, or “breathed out by God”, (1 Timothy 3:16) it seems likely that Paul didn’t just make up some arbitrary rule about women in the church. No, God inspired those words. Like it or don’t, we’re to be obedient to Scripture, even the parts we might not like.
If Caine, or the “church” which fallaciously ordained her, held to this doctrine, perhaps her diabolically-inspired influence would be more muted in the church today. Yet, it is the disregard, denial, and disdain for Scripture from which all false teaching and heresy flows. You might recall that incident in Eden where a serpent beguiled, umm, another woman with the query, “Did God say?”
So, it’s no surprise that heresy flows freely from the lips of this modern day, serpent-inspired succubus. Consider the recent Tweet from her ministry:
“Prayer gives you a heart for people, gets the content into your spirit, gives you insight.”
Umm, no. Just no.
Prayer does not give you a heart for people. The soul regenerated by the Holy Spirit is compelled by Him to be obedience to Christ’s second great commandment, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31) The Holy Spirit causes me to love others, resulting, often, in praying for them. Love is a fruit He gives, not a trait He imbues in prayer.
While it’s unclear what “content” gets into your heart by prayer, presumably it’s some divine data downloaded to you.(By way of emphasizing the next point, it will be in bold, italic, capitalized, large font. Please pay attention.)
GOD DOES NOT TALK TO YOU IN PRAYER.
God does not talk to anyone in prayer. Even in the most epic, momentous prayer ever uttered in the history of mankind, Christ’s high priestly prayer, we are not told that God the Father even spoke back to His own Son during or after His supplication. That serves, methinks, as a bit of a clue for us.
Prayer is to be an incessant behavior for the believer, in which we offer praise and thanks to God; it is where we seek forgiveness for the sins of our flesh; it is where we “make our requests known” to Him. As Charles Spurgeon encouraged, “Believer, when you are on your knees, remember you are going to a King. Let your petitions be large.”
Coupled with her notion of the transference of divine “content” during prayer, Caine’s ministry tweet also claims that prayer gives you “insight.” You may know that Caine is a proponent of heretical, new age, mystical contemplative prayer. This wicked teaching promises results such as hearing that “still, small voice.” Unless you are the prophet Elijah, be advised: that still, small voice will not be forthcoming.
Despite Caine’s teaching countless “naïve” listeners otherwise, prayer does not give us content or insight. There is only one place where we get those benefits – Scripture. Caine’s only use of Scripture is to twist it to fit her self-defined desires to perpetuate her emotional-entreating, deceptive teaching. Caine, like so many women “teachers” and authors (I’m thinking Beth Moore, Sarah Young, Priscilla Shirer, Lysa Terkeurst, Joyce Meyer, etc etc), appeals to women through the touchy-feely, warm-fuzzy-seeking basis of emotions.
Our faith, brethren, is not founded on emotions. It is rightly, only, based on the foundational truth of the Gospel. Jesus did not say, “I am the Way, the FEELING, and the Life”. Truth is the basis, and truth is a thing KNOWN, not felt.
“Christianity is a religion of truth. It is based on certain facts of history that concern the revelation of God to His people and His salvation of those people by the work of His Son. Wherever that is forgotten or lost, as it is being lost in our day, Christianity ceases to remain truly Christian and becomes only another rellgiously-oriented self-help program.” James Montgomery Boice
The enemy always attacks God’s Word, His Truth. Just as he did in the Garden, his modus operandi has not changed. He continues to challenge God’s Word and, with increasing ferocity, he is doing it, once again, by appealing to women with falsehoods based on emotions and pride.
It’s easy enough to discern the errors when you know the Truth, and that may be known where it’s always been known. Be Berean.
Tony Miano from Cross Encounters Ministries writes,
Who is Heidi Baker?
Heid Baker was born on August 29, 1959. She has been married to her husband Rolland for 36 years (1980). Rolland is presently suffering from poor health and is not presently actively engaged in ministry (Source).
Rolland Baker wrote the following on the couple’s ministry website (Source):
“Heidi and I began Iris Global (previously Iris Ministries) in 1980, and have been missionaries since then. We were both ordained as ministers in 1985 after completing our BA and MA degrees at Vanguard University in southern California. I majored in Biblical Studies, and Heidi in Church Leadership. I am a third-generation missionary born in China, and raised in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. I was greatly influenced by my grandfather, H. A. Baker, who wrote ‘Visions Beyond the Veil,’ an account of the extended visions of heaven and hell that children received in his remote orphanage in southwest China two generations ago.”
Rolland Baker’s grandfather, “Harold Armstrong Baker, known as H.A. Baker, was an American author and Pentecostal missionary to Tibet from 1911 to 1919, to China from 1919 to 1950, when forced to leave the mainland, and then in Taiwan from 1955 until his death in 1971” (Source).
Heidi Baker received her Doctor of Philosophy (Systematic Theology) from King’s College of London, in 1995 (Source).
Heidi Baker’s Testimony
A Google search showed that the following video is widely shared as her salvation testimony (Source).
Heidi Baker claims in her testimony that at the age of 16 God called her to be a missionary and a minister. We know this is not true because while God certainly calls women to serve as missionaries, He does not call them to serve as pastors (1 Timothy 2:12-14). God never contradict His Word.
Her testimony was filmed and posted by “Catch the Fire TV,” which is the media arm of “Catch the Fire/Toronto,” which is simply the re-branded name of the Toronto Airport Vineyard. The Toronto Airport Vineyard was/is responsible for a false spiritual movement known as the “Toronto Blessing.” It was this movement that led to the crippling of the first church my family and I were members (Source).
In her testimony she shares how Jesus told her in a vision to look into his eyes and said, “I died so that there will always be enough.” The he ripped off a part of his flesh from the side of his bruised and broken body, and handed it to her, telling her to give his flesh to the children. When she took the piece of raw flesh from Jesus’ hand, it immediately turned to bread. And then Jesus held simple-looking cup to his side, and blood and water flowed from his side, into the cup. Jesus said to her, “This is a cup of suffering and joy. Will you drink it?” And then she gave the cup to thousands of children, from which they all drank.
This alleged vision sounds remarkably like an abomination known as the Roman Catholic Mass. It is no surprise that Baker would articulate a vision so blasphemous. After all the New Apostolic Reformation, as well as other camps within the Charismania circle court the apostate Roman Catholic Church and erroneously see the Roman Catholic religion as compatible with Christianity (Source/Example).
Baker then describes what any Bible-believing Christian can only describe as an outpouring of demonic forces, which, of course, Baker attributes to the Holy Spirit. She describes being flipped upside down so that she was standing on her head and bruised from head to toe.
As part of her testimony, Baker describes a time in which she was pinned to the floor at the Toronoto Airport Vineyard. Allegedly, she had to be carried to her hotel and laid in her bed where she remained frozen, unable to move.
However, the Holy Spirit (insert air quotes) allowed her to get up at 3:00 AM to crawl to the restroom. Once she answered nature’s call (not the Holy Spirit’s), she crawled back into bed, where she returned to her frozen state.
Sadly, Heidi Baker’s testimony is not a testimony of salvation, but rather a testimony of experiences. No mention of sin and repentance. No mention of the cross.
And what did Jesus allegedly tell her in her vision? “I died so that there will always be enough.” This is not the gospel! This is the NAR, Word of Faith, Prosperity Gospel. This is a Galatians 1:6-9 false gospel.
This is the Gospel
This is the gospel–a gospel you will not hear from Heidi Baker or her ilk.
Everyone who stands before God to give an account will do so without excuse (Romans 1:18-23). No one will be able to claim innocence or ignorance of violating God’s law—whether in thought, word, or deed. Because God is good, because He is holy, because He is righteous and just, He must punish sin (Jeremiah 14:10; Hosea 9:9; Luke 13:1-5; John 8:24; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15). The punishment God has determined for sin, all sin, is eternity in Hell (Matthew 25:41-46; Revelation 21:8). It matters not whether a person believe this. What matters is that it is true. Truth is not determined by what one believes. God is truth, though every person is found to be a liar (Romans 3:4).
This same God–again, for there is only one God–who is angry with the wicked every day, whose wrath abides upon the ungodly, who will judge the world in righteousness, is the same God who is loving, merciful, gracious, and kind. And He showed His great love for mankind when He sent His Son to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ—fully God and fully Man, yet without sin (Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus of Nazareth, born of a virgin just as the prophet Isaiah declared more than 700 years before Jesus’s literal, physical birth (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6), lived the perfect, sinless life you cannot live. For some 33 years, Jesus lived a life in perfect obedience to the law of God–in thought, word, and deed–a life you and I could not hope to live for a mere 33 seconds. And then He voluntarily went to the cross (John 10:15, 17; 19:1-27).
Yes, it was the Jewish people who hatefully and viciously demanded Jesus’s execution. Yes, it was the Roman government that carried out the despicable act. But they were all merely instruments in the hands of another. For it pleased God the Father to crush God the Son under the full weight and fury of His wrath against sin (Isaiah 53:10-12). God the Father made God the Son, who knew no sin, to become sin on behalf of those who repent and believe the gospel so that through the sacrifice of His Son many would be made righteous in the eyes of Almighty God. In other words, on that great and terrible day God the Father looked upon God the Son as if He had lived the depraved life of a sinner and in exchange—a great exchange—God the Father looks upon those whom He has caused to be born again (1 Peter 1:3), to repent and believe the gospel, as if they had lived His Son’s perfect, precious, and priceless life (Colossians 2:8-15; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus shed His innocent blood on the cross. He died a literal, physical death on the cross. And He was buried in a tomb not His own. Three days later, Jesus forever defeated sin and death when He physically, bodily rose from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). And unlike every false god created in the imaginations of men–whether the false gods of Islam, Catholicism, Mormonism, Hinduism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Oprah-ism, or Atheism (a religion like every other spiritual “ism”)—Jesus Christ is alive today and He will return at a time of the Father’s choosing.
What God commands of you all people everywhere is that that you repent (Luke 13:1-5; Acts 17:29-31). Change your mind. Stop believing lies and believe the truth you know—the truth for which you are responsible and will be held accountable. Turn from your sin and turn toward God, and by faith alone receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
You must come to God on His terms. God does not negotiate with sinners. God will not be bribed by your religious practices or what you may perceive as “good works” acceptable to God. God will not weigh your “good” against your “bad,” for God does not see you or anyone else as good. God’s definition of, God’s standard for goodness is moral perfection, and only One has ever, only One will ever meet that standard. And that is Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Messiah, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. As for you, as is the case for the rest of mankind, you have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
If God causes you to be born again and extends to you the gifts of repentance and faith, which only He can give, then He will take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. You will begin to love the things God loves and hate the things God hates. You will stop presuming upon God’s forgiveness as if it is something you have earned or deserved. Instead, you will have the confident assurance He has forgiven you—not on the basis of any deeds you have done in righteousness, but based entirely upon God’s mercy, grace, and love, and for His glory (Titus 3:4-7).
Why would God allow His one and only Son to die a sinner’s death He did not deserve in order to take upon Himself the punishment sinners rightly deserve for their sins against God, so that sinners could be forgiven and saved? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Please repent and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, while God has given you time.
Heidi Baker’s Affiliations
The most notable among Heidi Baker’s ministry board members is Stacey Campbell. Campbell “is the founder and facilitator of the Canadian Prophetic Council and serves as an honorary member of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders, presided over by Cindy Jacobs. She and her husband, Wesley, are on the apostolic team of Harvest International Ministries (H.I.M.) under Dr. Ché Ahn. They are also the founders of a church (New Life Church, Kelowna, BC) and a mercy organization for children at risk called ‘Be A Hero.’ As conference speakers, they have ministered in over 60 nations, laboring to see revival and social justice transform the world. Stacey’s personal experience as a church planter, pastor, and missionary gives her prophetic teaching a depth and authority that can only come from personal experience. The Campbells have five grown children and live in Kelowna, B.C., Canada” (Source).
While Stacey Campbell is only an honorary member of the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE), she’s no small fish in this particularly putrid spiritual pond.
Campbell participated in the apostolic commissioning of one of the worst characters the New Apostolic Reformation has ever produced: Todd Bentley. She made quite the scene, outdoing most of the false apostles present. She showed herself either to be a really bad actress, demon-possessed, or both (Source).
Bill Johnson, leader of the Bethel Redding cult, also participated in Bentley’s commissioning, stating, “We shape the course of history by partnering with you.” And, “You welcome glory as well as anyone I have ever seen in my life. I long to learn from you.” (Source).
Bentley soon showed himself to be a fornicator and adulterer (Source).
Bentley was later restored to ministry by NAR leader and false teacher, Rick Joyner (Source). Joyner also participated in Bentley’s commissioning, saying, Bentley would be the antidote for the “lukewarmness” in the church (Source).
Bentley back in business and as bad as ever. He claims a $1 donation will result in one soul saved (Source). He also boasts of one million “decisions for Christ” in the first ten years of his ministry (Source). Most recently, Bentley, up to his old carny shenanigans, claimed that angel feathers and gem stones appeared at a meeting in Fresno (Source).
Heidi Baker’s Headless Chicken Prophecy
Heidi Baker is a frequent flyer at Bethel Redding. She speaks there often.
Baker begins in typical false apostolic prophetic fashion by singing a little freestyle, I mean “spirit-led” tune and engaging in the droning practice of repeating words and phrases. By the looks of the crowd gathered, the people had already been whipped into an altered state of consciousness, before Baker begins her prophetic utterance. Baker begins her shtick in such a way as to make sure the people stay in the emotional and psychological state she wants them. She’s been trained by the worst.
Her first pronouncement to the people is that God wants to lift them above a non-specific storm to give them generic eagle eyes. She can’t be too specific. There might be someone in the crowd lucid enough to catch on.
She declares that God has given her a prophetic word for America, a word that was also for the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (likely the school to which she referred). Baker’s alleged prophetic word is punctuated with a shout of “Ho!” and a hoped-to-be-believed involuntary snap of the head to the right. After all, what would a prophecy be without a quick, spirit-launched Taser blast.
Baker then allegedly heard God say, “Your destiny is not to be a chicken.” Slipping out of their altered state of consciousness (real or feigned), several people in the audience laugh.
Hoots and hollers follow when Baker proclaims that God doesn’t want them to be chickens. He wants them to be eagles. That’s rather judgmental against chickens, if you ask me.
Baker tells her audience that God wants them to see above a non-specific dust, a non-specific storm, and a non-specific swirl.
God’s (not the God of the Bible, mind you) tirade against chickenhood continues by allegedly declaring through Baker that he wants them to soar like eagles and not hop around on the ground like chickens. More chicken intolerance.
Baker references Isaiah 40:31 (the first verse of Scripture I ever memorized) out of context, course. No Surprise. At Bethel Redding, “location, location, location”—whether earthly or during a little heaven tourism—is far more important than “context, context, context.”
Just in case the “vision of an eagle” isn’t enough, Baker prophesizes that God wants to give the audience power over serpents. They will dive like eagles and scoop up snakes. Then, they will fly high enough to suffocate the snakes.
Look, I’m not a fan of snakes, but that’s a tough way to die. And could someone please do the research for me that shows the altitude a snake suffocates and compare that to the altitude an eagle suffocates? If you actually find that information, please post it in the comments section.
Oh, I know. I know. She’s speaking metaphorically. But I’m writing this article, in part, to calm my nerves. I’m so angry with this false prophetess and the cult that is Bethel Redding I, well, I wanna kick a chicken!
Baker then prophesizes that God is calling them to the scariest place they’ve ever been—a place of fearless love. She punctuates this particular utterance with a brief display of “holy laughter.”
It’s at this point that Baker begins to stall. Her speech begins to have more gaps in it—more pregnant pauses. Of course, it’s speculation on my part, but it’s not unreasonable (no more unreasonable than Baker’s blasphemous utterances) that Baker is running out of things to say. She’s thinking on the fly, trying where else to take the eagle and chicken metaphor.
And then…..
Still speaking what she has the audience convinced are the very words of God, Baker says. “I’m going to call you; I’m going to call you to a place where you warn, even warn those who are chirping [momentary pause…..and wait for it] with no heads” (emphasis mine).
This image is a screen capture a mere second after Baker makes the pronouncement that somewhere people exist (metaphorically or literally, who knows) who chirp like birds…..and have no heads
Notice the family of four prominent in the middle of the screen–presumably a husband, his wife, and two small children? Notice the parents’ expressions? What might they mean? What might this couple be thinking?
The husband/father is smiling–almost laughing. Maybe he is in fool, I mean full agreement with Baker and he thinks what he is experiencing is really cool and of the Lord. Or, maybe he’s thinking, “I sold everything, packed up my family, and moved to Redding, CA, to attend Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry. DOH! What was I thinking!” Or maybe he’s thinking something else. He might just be smiling at the man who walks by and sits down to his right. Only he and God knows.
The wife/mother has her hands over her mouth in an expression of what appears to be either stunned amazement, or shock and horror. We should certainly hope for the latter. What might she be thinking? Maybe she’s thinking, “Wow! I was just thinking the other day about headless people chirping like birds…..with no heads…..and chirping…..like birds…..with no heads…..and no beaks!” Or maybe she’s thinking, “My kids just heard that. How am I going to explain headless people chirping like birds to my kids? Maybe this school has a third semester course in handling this situation. In the meantime, if the kids express any discomfort or doubt, I’ll gently admonish them not to touch the Lord’s anointed and go up, up, up, up, up to bed.” Or maybe she’s thinking something else. Only she and God knows.
Baker continues: “I’m going to call you to a place where you would warn, even warn those who are running around the yard with no heads. I’m the head, says the Lord. I’m the head. I’m your head. You’re not meant to be headless chickens who don’t even know they’re running with no head.”
May I just say, I breathed a sigh of relief just now. I was concerned the headless people knew they were running around like chickens with their heads cut off!
But wait! There’s more!
Baker says, again duping the audience into believing she is speaking the very words of God, “In that place, you will learn to soar without flapping, without flapping, and without sweat, because it will be by my spirit.”
A couple of things. If a bird is flapping, it’s not soaring. God knows that. So, God would not say, through Heidi Baker, that He is going to make people soar without flapping. Since God created birds, He actually knows the mechanics of bird flight. The God who gave eagles the ability to soar knows that soaring means flying without flapping wings.
Yet Another Reason to Avoid Bethel Redding Like the Plague
Heidi Baker is the type of charlatan members and attenders of Bethel Redding are exposed to on a regular basis. She is a false teacher, a false prophetess, and may not be saved herself.
Here’s Baker’s “Strange Fish” prophecy:
If you attend Bethel Redding, if you are influenced by Bethel Redding and people like Heidi Baker, flee to Christ!
I have well-documented the unbiblical, even demonic activities of Bethel Redding. You are not safe there. You are not safe being exposed to this cult’s and its affiliates’ false teachings.
If you need help finding a Bible-believing, gospel-preaching, truly Holy Spirit-indwelt church, please contact me at: info@crossencountersmin.com.
Source: By Tony Miano, Bethel Redding, Heidi Baker, and the Headless Chicken Prophecy, Cross Encounters Ministry, http://crossencountersmin.com/featured-article/bethel-redding-heidi-baker-headless-chicken-prophecy/, Published 14/04/2016. (Accessed 15/04/2016.)
Take-Over – a hostile, tyrannical, immoral, unethical, unbiblical or illegal way in which a ‘church’ schemes, re-brands and takes over another church. The move is usually presented as a surprise and often occurs when the members of the congregation, (whether they are the pastors, elders or laymen), have no say in the matter. The take-over is presented as the best way forward for the church.[Source]
This is a very accurate definition to describe how churches like Hillsong and C3 rebrand churches into their movement. The City of Grace Church has fallen prey to a Hillsong take-over. Terry and Judith Crist have been duped by Australia’s leading con artists and cult leaders Brian and Bobbie Houston.
This is the truth: Terry and Judith Crist have not done their homework.
When Pat Mesiti was exposed for getting drunk and sleeping with prostitutes back in the year 2000, Hillsong’s senior pastor Brian Houston and C3’s senior pastor Phil Pringle worked to restore “money-magnet” Mesiti back into ministry. Pat Mesiti was officially restored back into ministry in 2006 and has been spotted at various times preaching on C3/Hillsong preacher networks.
There is no evidence to indicate he is now an ex-Hillsong or ex-C3 pastor since that restoration. If he isn’t a Hillsong pastor, Hillsong needs to make this clear.
Please also keep Andrea and her family in your prayers. She is a wonderful woman and deserves all the prayer and support of Christians everywhere.
The Daily Telegraph reports,
Ex-Hillsong preacher Pat Mesiti pleads guilty to assault
A FORMER Hillsong preacher has pleaded guilty to attacking his wife on New Year’s Eve while they were finalising their divorce in a Western Sydney court.
Pat Mesiti, 56, confronted his second wife of 13 years, Andrea, at their Hyde Ave, Glenhaven home after seeing pictures of their niece hosting a party at the residence about 10pm on December 31, 2015.
He was at Wisemans Ferry celebrating the New Year with friends when he saw the images on Facebook and began calling and texting his wife.
“After arriving home, the accused being intoxicated has began arguing with all the partygoers including (his niece) demanding them all to get out,” according to police documents tendered to court.
“The victim and accused have engaged in a heated argument during which the victim told the accused that she had allowed the party to happen and that she gave permission for (their niece) to have some friends over whilst she was out.
“The accused had grabbed the victim by the neck. A physical altercation has ensued during which the victim has felt an impact to the right side of her head.”
Police said Andrea escaped the attack without any injuries.
Mesiti was not living with his wife at the time and they were in the final stages of a divorce.
He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault however the former charge was withdrawn in Parramatta Local Court yesterday.
Magistrate Karen Stafford said his bail would continue with conditions that include not being able to “assault, threaten or harass” the victim or drink alcohol within 12 hours of seeing her for a period of 12 months.
“In a nut shell, you can’t do anything that will make her fear for her safety,” Magistrate Stafford said.
Mesiti remained silent as he left court.
He was once a prominent television evangelist and preacher for Hillsong Church but they stripped him of his license after discovering he had been sleeping with prostitutes.
Since then he has become a successful motivational speaker and author.
The matter is scheduled to return to Parramatta Local Court for sentencing on March 23.
Source: By Leigh Van Den Broeke, Ex-Hillsong preacher Pat Mesiti pleads guilty to assault, The Daily Telegraph, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/exhillsong-preacher-pat-mesiti-pleads-guilty-to-assault/news-story/e9c1a3a54de7b07fa02fe0e680e7cd28, Published 29/02/2016, 3:41pm. (Accessed 29/02/2016.)
Kris Vallotton, second in command of the Bethel Redding cult, recently met Pope Francis–an antichrist.
Vallotton makes no secret about his man-crush on the pope. “I had the privilege of meeting Pope Francis today with some other pastors. He is really a great man. I love him a ton!” This is how Vallotton captioned his photo of his meeting with the pope.
Hillsong Church Watch 