Month: September 2022

Mike Winger likes some songs, warns Christians about Bethel’s Worship Music

[Reader, the video is at the bottom of this transcription. My wife and I like some of the Bethel music too (beat and melodies) but if we know it is Bethel we do not want to listen to it. This is not always possible as many churches play this music. As Winger points out, Bill Johnson and Bethel “really want to change the church more so than the world…and I think in unbiblical ways.”]

One minute apologist: Should you be concerned about Bethel’s worship music?

Mike Winger: This is a bit of a tough question so let me try to layer some wisdom I hope into the answer I that give. On one end they have a lot of songs that I think are great and I can sing with my whole heart and I appreciate and love.

Mike: On the other hand there’s some songs that are questionable and I kind of take those on a song by song basis. Other ones where you’re like wait a minute, what? I can’t say this, this doesn’t seem right.

Mike: But there’s another concern, a whole different concern, a whole different concern with Bethel’s music, and that has to do with how it’s being leveraged by the movement to promote their teachings. They they really want to change the church more so than the world, I think they’re, they’re, trying to change the way churches do things and I think in unbiblical ways. The way the use the music for this is in is in two different ways.

Mike: One, they will put lyrics in the songs that will promote their particular understanding of healing and prophecy and God speaking and doing miracles in the world. They’ll also gather people together for conferences and events using the music as the reason to gather and then they will teach them their new theology and their new methodology for how church is to be done and so this has been explicitly stated by the leaders.

Mike: They say we’re using the music as a vehicle of putting our teaching and methodology into churches. That we should take knowledge of and we should just be like, yeah. you know, when Vineyard Music didn’t do that you know, I mean like other popular Christian music never did that, this is something new and different.

[One Minute Apologist speaks, thanks, ends interview]

All My Tears (Petersens version)

When I go don’t cry for me
In my fathers arms I’ll be
The wounds this world left on my soul
Will all be healed and I’ll be whole

Sun and moon will be replaced
With the light of Jesus’ face
And I will not be ashamed
For my savior knows my name

It don’t matter where you bury me
I’ll be home and I’ll be free
It don’t matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away

Gold and silver blind the eye
Temporary riches lie
Come and eat from heaven’s store
Come and drink and thirst no more

So weep not for me my friend
When my time below does end
For my life belongs to him
Who will raise the dead again

It don’t matter where you bury me
I’ll be home and I’ll be free
It don’t matter where I lay
All my tears be washed away

So you still think The Chosen is an accurate reflection of the “Authentic” Jesus Christ? Really?

[Reader, the stated goal of The Chosen movers-and-shakers, which does include Mormons in leadership–two of the Executive Producers are Mormons–is to reach one billion people with The Chosen. What does a Holy God think as we entertain ourselves with a false Jesus and false “backstories”? –TWLF]

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. (Isaiah 8:20)

Lighthouse Trails writes:

Dallas Jenkins, the director and co-producer/co-creator of the extremely popular series The Chosen, believes that the Jesus of The Chosen is the “authentic Jesus” whom he hopes to present to the world. But from the beginning of our research and reporting on The Chosen, we have witnessed a very unauthentic false Jesus being presented. And yet pastors and leaders who should know better are giving a hearty pass to this Jesus. From the beginning of The Chosen, both Jesus and the disciples have been re-invented and even slandered with unbiblical depictions and stories. Taking that a step further, the Jesus of The Chosen is actually… click link to continue reading….

Open Letter to Mike Winger about Bill Johnson

Hi Mike,

Thank you for exposing The Passion Translation. And thank you for your research on egalitarian vs. complementarian views, and for your work in showing the biblical role of women in the church. I could go on. You have done a lot to educate and protect the Body of Christ.

But you have a blind spot, or maybe a better way to say it is you need to take a much closer look at Bill Johnson and Bethel. You say you have never heard Bill Johnson preach a different gospel.

Here is what you said:

…even Bethel I didn’t see a false gospel in Bethel’s teaching, not that I’m aware of. I listened to to prepare for that message I listened to 60 hours of Bill Johnson’s teachings. Okay I did not hear a false a false gospel when he rarely spoke of the gospel and it was rare. It was sad to see how rare it was, but when he spoke of it, he spoke of the true gospel. So what am I supposed to do? I don’t want to take a non-essential and then make it essential and then demonize a large portion of our Christian brotherhood. [1]

Please note that Bill does promote what seems to be a different gospel in this sermon. In fact, as you will see, he even uses Galatians 1:6-9 to “prove” that a gospel that allows for sickness is a false gospel. He also mentions a thorn in the flesh. (2 Cor 12:7)

According to Bill Johnson, “Okay, let me illustrate. Paul refers to his thorn in the flesh, which has been interpreted by many as disease allowed or brought on by God. That’s a different gospel. Jesus didn’t model it and he didn’t teach it. And Paul said, you can’t change the standard.” [2]

According to Galatians 1:6-9:

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; (v6)

which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (v7)

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! (v8)

As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (v9)

Here is Johnson with his theology that salvation includes guaranteed healing:

17:52 in video He paid the price for absolutely everything to get settled. The sin issue’s been settled. The disease issue has been settled. The torment issue has been settled. Who owns the planet that issue has been settled. All these things were taken care of at Calvary.

20:38 in video: And so this ministry of Jesus that dealt with every single person that came to Him with affliction or torment he ministered to them, that’s the only, that’s the standard to follow.

20:51 in video: I refuse to create a theology that allows for sickness. And here we got a problem. Only one. A small one.

21:06 The Apostle Paul gives a warning in Galatians. And he says this he says if I–he’s the one who brought the gospel–he says if I or even an angel comes to you and preaches to you a different gospel you’re to reject [it]. That’s amazing. An angel shows up and he brings you a different standard, a different gospel, reject it. He says that even if I come back and I changed my mind, don’t pay any attention to me.

21:35 All right, what gospel is it? It’s the gospel of Jesus. It’s the gospel of the kingdom.

21:50 Okay, let me illustrate. Paul refers to his thorn in the flesh, which has been interpreted by many as disease allowed or brought on by God. That’s a different gospel. Jesus didn’t model it and he didn’t teach it. And Paul said, you can’t change the standard.

23:58 I’d like to suggest to you that any interpretation that differs from the standard Jesus set needs to be brought into question. You don’t approve it because the standard is Jesus.

29:56 in video: When we create a theology around what didn’t happen, or we create a theology that allows for sickness, we change the standard of God.

31:17 in video: If I create a theology that allows for disease to exist in a person’s life then I have religiously insulated myself from my awareness to press into God to get that measure of breakthrough that is needed so that this stronghold can be destroyed over this city.

This is TWLF: Mike, you are our brother in Christ. So much goes on at Bethel that is disturbing. May the Lord give all of us love and patience for one another.

Source Notes:

1. Begin video at 5 minutes, 24 seconds

2. 21:50 in the video

…with the glory which I had with You before the world was (John 17:5)

“Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. (John 17:5)

Before the world was…

Here Christ is identified-self identified-as pre-existent God. As Deity.

Concerning John 17:5, William MacDonald writes:

Before Christ came into the world, He dwelt in heaven with the Father. When the angels looked upon the Lord, they saw all the glory of Deity. To every eye, He was obviously God. But when He came among men, the glory of Deity was veiled. Though He was still God it was not apparent to most onlookers.

They saw Him merely as the carpenter’s Son. Here, the Savior is praying that the visible manifestation of His glory in heaven might be restored. The words “glorify Me together with Yourself” mean”glorify Me in Your presence in heaven. Let the original glory which I shared with you before My Incarnation be resumed.” This clearly teaches the pre-existence of Christ.

–William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, John 17:5, p 1496

Strange beliefs of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill Wilson

According to Mel B., author of My Search For Bill W., “What did [AA co-founder Bill Wilson] believe about life after death? He expressed the view that ‘there is no death’ and he also referred to this life as ‘a day in school.’ One of his close associates told me that Bill believed in reincarnation, though he certainly kept this out of his writings about AA. He was also interested in psychic phenomena, but he shared this only with close friends.”[1] (Bold mine)

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment. (Hebrews 9:27)

In a July 2, 1956 letter to Mel B., Wilson makes an incredible statement–incredible, at least, for people who have mistakenly believed Wilson to have been a Christian. According to Wilson, “We have the conscious, the unconscious or subconscious, the world of psychic phenomenalism which suggests our Father’s house of many mansions, and finally the ultimate reality, glimpses of which all mystics seem to have had. To me, this makes good theological sense.” [2] (Bold mine)

All mystics? Good theological sense?

Then, a little later in the letter, Wilson states, “Christ is, of course, the leading figure to me. Yet I have never been able to receive complete assurance that He was one hundred percent God. I seem to be just as comfortable with the figure of ninety-nine percent. I know that from a conservative Christian point of view, this is a terrific heresy.” [3] (Bold mine)

Indeed it is. Back to the subject of reincarnation. It is interesting that Emmet Fox, the new thought adherent who was greatly admired by both Bill Wilson and fellow AA co-founder Dr. Bob Smith, also believed in reincarnation.

Fox’s heretical book, Sermon on the Mount, was actually used as a teaching manual in AA before the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book was completed. Fox taught that Jesus Christ was not Savior, and Bill and Dr. Bob used and recommended the book anyway.[4] This says it all, if we have the courage to face facts.

According to Emmet Fox, “…you have lived before, not once, but many, many times, and that in the course of these many lives you have thought and said and done all sorts of things, good and bad…”[5]

It is unfortunate that many, many people in AA do experience a rebirth of sorts. Not in terms of reincarnation but theology. While AA is relatively ineffective as a means of treatment, it has been deadly in its ability to point people away from Jesus Christ. It keeps the spiritually dead locked in the bonds of their spiritual death.

But that is not all. Many Christians have been watered down by belonging to this polytheistic religion–without ever realizing what has happened. If we were to be honest about it, we would see that “recovery” for many replaces sanctification.

Never have we been biblically instructed that it is all right to place the Ancient of Days, our great and glorious King, amongst tin gods and false beliefs. And we are suffering for doing so. It is, frankly, now just a matter of warning. We seem well on our way to the One World Religion.

The 12 Step spirituality will continue to rise, humming and hissing with false gods, even false “christs,” and  will join with contemplative systems–and many other systems as well.

And all the while a loving Christ tells His people, “Come out and be separate.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17)

Too many of us who follow Christ also worship the idol of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods.” (Joshua 24:16)

Endnotes:

1. Mel B., My Search For Bill W., pg. 137

2. Ibid., pg. 20-21

3. Ibid., pg.21

4. Alcoholics Anonymous Co-founders Were Not Christians 

5. Herman Wolhorn, Emmet Fox’s Golden Keys To Successful Living, pg. 102-103

Visual Idolatry-The Berean Call Conference

So many great speakers like Mike Oppenheimer,[1] Carl Teichrib,[2] and others. Here is a presentation given by TBC founder T.A. McMahon on Visual Idolarty. (If you are curious as to whether The Chosen is harmless, or even beneficial for Christians, you will want to watch this in entirety.) The speaking begins after the introductory song. You can watch HERE.

Source Notes:

1. Stand In The Truth–Mike Oppenheimer

2. Carl Teichrib–Cult of the World Order

Jesus Cleanses A Leper

According to Matthew 8:1-4:

When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. (v1)

And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” (v2)

Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (v3)

And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (v4)

So, who was this leper? We are not meant to know. These verses show us the love, the power, and the mercy of the God we serve.