by Chad Koons
In Witches, Christians, and Pagans, and Halloween: Part 1, I went into the Samhain/Halloween connection and the deity behind Halloween, Cerridwen. Now, let’s take a detailed look into the traditions and symbolisms within the holiday, as well as a real-life Elder Witch’s perspective.
Cultural Tradition and Symbolism
“Yeah, but I don’t celebrate Samhain, I celebrate Halloween!” This is commonly the type of comment I’ll receive after someone reads my research on the matter. Let’s do a comparison and see how different (or similar) the two are.
* On Samhain, faces were carved into pumpkins and gourds which were placed around the perimeter of the home or in the openings of the home such as windows or doors. Candles were placed inside of them to act as a guide for the spirits walking past the home.
- On Halloween… we carve faces into pumpkins which are placed around the perimeter of the home or in windows or doorways. We place candles inside of them. This is exactly the Samhain practice. The next time you see a “Jack-O’-Lantern,” remember what it means.
* On Samhain, candles are lit inside of the home as a means of guiding the spirits from outside to inside the house. Once inside the home, dinner parties are then hosted for these spirits (who are believed to be “spirit guides” or dead relatives) for the purpose of appeasing and thanking them. Eating together with the spirits is an invitation for the spirit’s guidance over the next year.
- On Halloween… candles are lit inside the home and in windows. We gather inside of homes for spooky themed Halloween parties where we eat together. Now you know where these traditions come from.
* On Samhain, fires are lit. These are intended to be magical fires used in witchcraft and divination. Spells are performed around these fires, along with stories of spirits, ghosts, gods, and goddesses. The fires are danced around, eaten by, and are the hub of celebration.
- On Halloween… fires are lit, and we have parties around these fires where we celebrate and tell spooky stories. Have you ever had bonfires with ghost stories during a Halloween party? These are not some random practices; the idea was born during Samhain.
* On Samhain, there was (and still is) decoration of the home, a creation of an altar, meditation on what it means to live in spirit, and get this… activities for family and children.
- On Halloween… we decorate our homes, think about ghosts and the supernatural, and we create and hold activities for families and children. Communities, schools, and even our churches are eager to host these Halloween activities! Our families are celebrating Samhain and we don’t even know it.
* On Samhain, spirits were thought to walk the villages and treats were offered on the thresholds of homes. These spirits were called the “Aos si” (pronounced “ees-shee”). They were ancestral spirits (ghosts), spirits of nature, malevolent spirits, or even gods or goddesses. These spirits were sinister at worst and tricksters at best, therefore the occupants of the villages needed to appease them somehow. The villagers offered fruits, sweet baked goods, or nuts upon their doorsteps in attempts to appease the Aos si. It was believed that the spirits would accept the sweets as an offering. If a home did not offer a sweet treat, however, then the Aos si would either harm the house, harm the occupants, curse the home, or play a trick on the people in some way.
Because of this supernatural activity, it was believed unsafe to travel at night during Samhain. Therefore people would dress in disguise (called “guising” or “mumming“) and imitate the Aos si. These disguised people would then go house to house just as the Aos si did. They would stand upon the doorstep of the home and recite a pagan song or phrase. The occupants of the homes were then expected to provide these people with the same food or sweets that were offered to the Aos si. If the house did not hand out a treat, then the people in disguise would imitate the Aos si by playing a trick upon the house.
- On Halloween… we follow this same pattern. We dress in disguise while going door to door, presenting the occupant with a choice: give us a treat or we will play a trick on you. Here it is, folks, the Samhain practice of disguise and collecting treats or threatening a trick has turned into our modern-day Trick or Treat. Now you know what it means.
* On Samhain, death and fear of harm are the driving forces. Spirits of the dead are thought to enter the world of the living during Samhain, since the veil between worlds is believed to be at its thinnest. Ghosts, malevolent spirits, and even other supernatural beings such as gods and goddesses are believed to seep through into our natural world to interact with humans. Motivated by fear, people needed to find ways to welcome, appease, or blend in with these spirits in order to avoid harm or death.
- On Halloween… we are driven by these same forces. The imagery of fear, death, and bodily harm are everywhere. This is why we see haunted houses, ghosts, monsters, witches, and the undead throughout Halloween. Have you ever wondered why Halloween is full of fear and the glorification of death? Halloween is full of fear and death because Samhain is. We even follow the same pagan practice of surrounding ourselves with this imagery. We welcome it and blend in with it the same as the pagans did (and still do). Halloween and Samhain are two different names for the same thing.
The Samhain celebration and practice is exactly what our modern culture continues to express in Halloween. Samhain hasn’t changed, it just wears a Halloween mask.
A Witch’s Perspective
The vast majority of the pagan and witchcraft community equate Samhain with Halloween. But don’t take my word for it, hear it from the source. Here’s what a leading witch has to say on the matter.
The following is an excerpt from a book entitled Sabbats: A Witch’s Approach to Living the Old Ways by Edain McCoy. Edain is an elder in the Wiccan tradition and priestess of Brighid. Edain drops some historical truth on the subject, as well. Some will cry out, “Halloween is not Samhain, Halloween is just a silly holiday!” Sorry to burst your bubble, but this Elder Witch disagrees:
Samhain is popularly known today as “Halloween,” a contraction of the words “Hallowed Evening.” It retains much of the original form and meaning it had long ago in Celtic lands, despite the efforts of the church to turn it into an observance of feasting and prayer for their vast pantheon of saints. The church began by calling it the Feast Day of St. Michael, but the old Samhain holiday proved to be too potent a drawing card for one lone saint to combat. So it was renamed the “eve of all saints”, or “All hallows eve” precedes All saints Day. But even after all this effort, so much Samhain practice and lore remained within the popular culture.
Edain does a good job at explaining a couple of key points.
First, that Samhain is known today as Halloween. Yes, they are the same.
Secondly, that the church tried to redeem this Pagan holiday and subsequently failed.
Leave it to a real-life elder witch to, shall we say, “boil it down” for us (pun intended). Samhain is alive and well today, thinly masquerading as Halloween, and the church cannot redeem it.
Conclusion
At the end of my research, I found myself at a loss for words. I was shocked, perplexed, and quite honestly feeling a like I needed a spiritual shower. Sometimes the truth is much more horrid than fiction.
So what would I do with Halloween? What would I have my children do with Halloween? The evidence was quite compelling, and I could no longer ignore it. Halloween would no longer enchant me, and it most certainly would not be permitted to seduce my children. We cut it off. As a Christian parent, I cannot stand before the Lord knowing that I allowed my children to participate in a pagan holiday. It would seem that witches, Christians, and pagans do not mix.
Now that you know the truth, you have a decision to make – a decision that not only impacts your life, but the lives of your children. What will you do with Halloween?
Finally, I leave you with these words…
“Have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather EXPOSE them.” – Apostle Paul, Ephesians 5:11.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
When I was a kid, there was no better feeling than the thrill of Halloween! It was the time of year that I looked forward to the most. While not nearly as profitable as Christmas (random candy vs. cool toys), Halloween was certainly much more alluring. There were ghosts, ghouls, monsters, the supernatural, spooky stories, scary movies, parties, naughtiness, danger, dressing up in costumes, and let’s not forget the candy! Everyone seemed to love it, kids and adults alike. It was a feeling so surreal that it was almost intoxicating. Though it never really made sense to my young mind… why did we celebrate this spooky holiday?!
The other major holidays were quite clear. Christmas centered around the birth of Christ, Easter centered around the resurrection of Christ, Thanksgiving centered around thankfulness to God, you get the idea. But… Halloween? What was the deal with Halloween?! I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought as a kid, but now as a dad of two young children, I needed to know what Halloween was really about. If Halloween was just innocent fun, then I wanted my kids to love it like I did. But if Halloween was not innocent, if it was of evil origin and practice, then I needed for my kids to honor the Lord and have nothing to do with it.
So, I began studying Halloween. Perhaps not surprisingly, I quickly realized that internet articles, Christian magazine write-ups, and Facebook posts failed to agree with one another and seemed to be based upon sketchy, shallow, and/or biased research. If I was going to find the truth, then I needed to begin by digging into history. And so I did.
The Seeds of Halloween
The very first thing I discovered was the Halloween/Samhain connection. Halloween finds its roots in an ancient holiday called “Samhain” (pronounced “sow-win” or “sah-win”). Therefore, to understand Halloween, we need to understand Samhain.
Despite what many well-meaning Christians will tell you, Samhain is not a mythical “God of the Dead” or “Dark lord.” Samhain is actually a very real pagan holiday. It was originally practiced by Celtic peoples perhaps 2,000 years ago. At its heart, the Samhain holiday is a celebration of death (and the life that comes through it) and may have originally marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the dark half of the year, or marking a new portion of the year. Now all of this may sound innocent enough, so what’s wrong with that? Well, this is where it gets interesting.
Regarding its origin and practice, Samhain is both natural and supernatural. It was believed to be the time when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest. Witchcraft and divination are part of its makeup. It is important to note that Samhain is not merely an obscure ancient holiday; it is actively celebrated by the witchcraft and pagan communities today. We don’t often hear of the Samhain celebration nowadays, and there is a reason for this: Samhain is popularly known today under a different name. Any guesses? Correct, Samhain is known today as “Halloween.”
Origin and Meaning of Samhain
Upon learning that Samhain is a pagan holiday, I realized that I needed to refer to pagan sources. As much as I didn’t want to, into the pagan sources I went, and here’s what I found out.
Samhain is celebrated on October 31st. It is the final harvest, a celebration from the light and warmth cycle into the cold and darkness of winter, a celebration of life into death, a celebration of death and spirit, celebrating that all spirits are “as a whole” and eternal. The veil is believed to be at its thinnest at this time, so as to connect the earth with the dead and to honor and commune with the dead and the eternal cycle of “reincarnation.”
Samhain happens to be one of the four greater “Sabbats” of the year (Sabbats are pagan holidays), and it is considered by most Wiccans the most important Sabbat. Interesting… Samhain, which is known today as Halloween, is the most important pagan holiday of the year. If this doesn’t alarm you yet, just keep reading.
Deity of Samhain
Uncovering the holiday of Samhain got me thinking. Many major holidays of the world are centered around a deity of some sort. For example, Christmas revolves around Jesus (His birth), Easter revolves around Jesus (His resurrection), and Thanksgiving revolves around gratitude towards Him. Ramadan revolves around Allah and the prophet Mohammed. So, this made me wonder if there was there a deity, a god or goddess, behind Samhain? It seemed a good question to investigate, so I did. According to the pagan and witch communities, the answer is… yes, Samhain does revolve around a deity, a “dark goddess” by the name of Cerridwen, the Keeper of the Cauldron (pronounced “Kare-ah-dwin”).
Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving = Jesus
Ramadan = Allah and Mohammed
Samhain/Halloween = Cerridwen
Who is Cerridwen? Cerridwen is the Goddess of Samhain. She is a dark goddess of the underworld, associated with witchcraft. She represents the ”crone,” which is the dark aspect of the triple goddess (a trinity within one goddess, or three aspects of the one goddess, of which Cerridwen is the Dark aspect). She is often called “The Cauldron Goddess” or the “Goddess of the Witches.” She is symbolized by the cauldron, which appears in force during Samhain (this is why we see big black cauldrons or kettles during Halloween). She is considered the destroyer and the healer, and she is to be feared. She is of things passing and moving on in the spirit, she has powers of prophecy, and she is the keeper of the cauldron of knowledge and inspiration in the underworld. She has two children, a daughter light and fair and a son dark, ugly, and malevolent. She is believed to have the powers of change, rebirth, and transformation. She is said to be the Mother and the Crone, associated with a white pig and the full moon (this is why a full moon is symbolized in Halloween). Her cauldron is believed to be the well of life; all life comes from her cauldron and returns to it after death, and all new life is born again from her cauldron (this is partially why death is symbolized at Halloween).
Have you ever wondered why we see cauldrons, full moons, and the glorification of fear and death during Halloween? The answer will blow your mind… we see them because these are the symbols of the dark goddess Cerridwen. She is the spiritual force behind Halloween! Does this sound like something you should celebrate and lead your children into?
As believers in Jesus, we are not to interact with witchcraft, sorcery, divination, omens, etc., nor are we to follow after those who do! See Leviticus 20:6. Halloween is a clear source of these detestable works, do not follow after them!
Has any of this helped you see Halloween in a different light? Make sure to look for my next post; I will uncover the cultural tradition and symbolism of Halloween in addition to sharing what a real-life Elder Witch has to say about the Samhain/Halloween connection. Walk as children of the light, and I’ll see you soon!
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
Have you stopped believing in “unspoken prayer requests”? If so, then you are in good company. Let’s cut to the chase and review 5 great reasons why unspoken prayer requests should be forever stricken from our vocabulary.
1. Unspoken requests are simply not Biblical. This sounds heavy, but it’s true. A great example for this point would be the Apostle Paul. Paul requested prayer many times – Romans 15:30-32, Ephesians 6:18-20, and Colossians 4:2-4, just to name a few. Since he lived within the ancient world where letters and messengers were the means of correspondence, Paul’s prayer warriors didn’t always know every detail of what was going on with him. Yet Paul knew his situation and therefore gave them direction in how to pray! Read the passages above and you’ll see that Paul made specific requests. You will never find where Paul told the churches that he has an “unspoken request.” Paul’s prayer warriors knew what to pray because he told them! If we are wise, we will follow this example.
2. If it’s worth asking for prayer, then it’s worth being selectively transparent. Often, we use the unspoken prayer request because of privacy. And rightfully so, because not everyone should know your business! But some people should know what you’re going through, especially if you are asking them to pray for you. We all have a circle of family and friends who love and care for us. These are the people with whom we must be vulnerable; we should be transparent enough to share our specific prayer requests with them. Forget the unspoken, social media, shotgun blasts; instead, we need to confide with those whom the Lord has given us. Trust them with the information they need to go the Lord on your behalf! Paul had relationship with those whom he asked for prayer, and he put much faith in their specific prayers. Which brings me to #3…
3. We need to respect our prayer warriors. Whenever someone asks me to pray for their unspoken prayer request, it’s always an awkward feeling. I am left wondering and pressured with, “So… what should I pray for?” I cannot go to the Lord unless I know what I’m going to Him about. I’m not going to waste my time, or worse yet fumble around before the King of all kings! I take prayer seriously, as we all should. I’ll pray for you, sincerely I will, but if you can’t tell me what I’m praying for, then maybe I’m not the guy to do it. Think about this: when you ask for prayer, you are asking someone to present themselves before the throne of God Almighty on your behalf. Do we realize the gravity of this? Unspoken requests put your prayer warriors in awkward position, somewhere between sympathy, bewilderment, and struggle. This is not something I would ask anyone to experience on my behalf. Your prayer warriors are going before the Lord for you, so make sure that you have respected their time, fervency, and faith by not putting them in that awkward “unspoken” position.
4. Recognizing the gift of prayer itself. Within earthly kingdoms, it is a fearful and honorable thing to be summoned before the king, and nobody treats that summons lightly. In the same way, prayer is a fearful and honorable thing. It is an awesome gift from the Lord, so please ask for and use it wisely. The Lord calls us to come boldly before His throne (Hebrews 4:14-16), so we must respect this holy opportunity. When the apostle Paul considered the prayer of those supporting him, he approached it with the utmost respect. “For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance” (Philippians 1:19). Paul understood the gravity of the gift of prayer. He realized that it was not mere good vibes, positive thoughts, nor was it something to enter into flippantly. He recognized that prayer was a holy endeavor where we meet with our King, that prayer is a vehicle through which much power is made available! Unspoken requests are vague and not developed enough to bring before the Lord. Which brings me to my last point…
5. Prayer must be specific and based on His Word. Did you know that there is a protocol when it comes to prayer? When we pray, we must pray according to His will and know that He hears us (1 John 5:14-15). We cannot do this unless we know the will of God. What is God’s will? It’s actually not mysterious; God’s will is found in the Bible! The Bible is specific about many things, therefore you must find out what the Bible says about your situation before you go before the Lord with it.
Instead of issuing a non-specific “unspoken prayer request,” begging God, or giving up, how about doing what it takes to search the Bible regarding your situation? Take the time, put in the effort, and even Google it if you need to. And once you know what the Lord has said about it, then you can pray boldly, specifically, and according to His will! What is God’s will? Again, God’s will is found within His Word.
Now for a practical example. Since many people battle anxiety, let’s just use that. If you battle anxiety, you would need to search the Bible and find out what it says about anxiety. You will find verses in Matthew, Philippians, 1 Peter, and 2 Corinthians that talk about anxiety and how to deal with it. Now that you know what the Word of God says regarding anxiety, you can take those Scriptures before the Lord. Having armed yourself with the will of God, here’s what you could say:
“In Matthew 6:25-34, the Lord Jesus commanded me to not be anxious or worry, therefore I realize that I must obey that command. Philippians 4:6-7 tells me not to be anxious about anything, but instead to tell the Lord what I need and to be thankful, and then the peace of God will guard my heart and mind. According to 1 Peter 5:7, I now know that the Lord doesn’t want me to keep my anxiety, but instead He wants me to cast my cares upon Him because He cares for me! 2 Corinthians 10:5 says that I am to destroy every argument and opinion that is contrary to the knowledge of God, and that I am expected to take every thought captive and make it obey Christ!”
Now that I know the will of God regarding anxiety, I will now pray according to the Word and will of God:
“Lord, I will no longer be anxious. You said to cast my cares upon You, so here are my cares, I cast them upon You (taking a moment to tell him what your cares are). I thank You for hearing me and I thank you because you are taking them away from me! Because I cast my cares upon You, I believe that Your peace will now guard my heart and mind. I will obey your command and I will no longer worry. I will focus instead upon You and Your Kingdom. I refuse and destroy every anxious thought that comes against me because they go against the Word of God. I will take my thoughts captive and I will make them obey Christ in Jesus’ name!”
It’s not magic. It’s not positive thought. No, it’s far better; it’s praying specifically according to the Word of God! Prayers like this get answered. They are specific, based upon the will of God, and full of faith.
This, my friends, is so much better than non-specific, wishy-washy, half-hearted prayer. When you search the Bible to see what He has to say about it, then you may go before His throne and pray with boldness according to His will!
So please, never again utter the words, “I have an unspoken prayer request.” Confide in those whom the Lord has given you, find out what the Bible says about it, and go before the Lord with this awesome gift of prayer! The Lord is waiting.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
“Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
These were the words of Jesus to Peter. They echo in my ears daily; perhaps they also speak to us during these dark days. Sifting has come, and it’s far from over. Who among us will remain faithful, and who will fall away? Whatever the fallout, we’ve really had it coming…
Unity! Grace! Love! Social Justice! Acceptance!
Sounds real good, doesn’t it? God help us, we have tolerated a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
It’s time that we call some things out and humble ourselves before a holy God.
Many have abandoned their faith in order to devote themselves to deceitful spirits and sit under the teachings of demons. They are actively being influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences have long ago been burned to a crisp.
Oh, I’m not being sensational or intentionally shocking. When you read something like this, perhaps the “crazy” alarm rings in your head? Yet this is not crazy; I’ve actually just quoted Scripture. Click here and see for yourself that I am in fact speaking the truth. This is far from crazy; this is the stark reality of our times.
We live in a time when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears. They will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and they will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. And these false teachers are easy to find; suffering from deception themselves, they have become blinded, sincerely making shipwreck of the faith of millions. Don’t believe me? Read it for yourself right here.
As a result, the Church as we’ve known it has split.
Waves of false doctrine have openly and proudly infiltrated the Church. The devil has steamrolled over us. I can’t tell you how many of my friends and ministry associates have tragically fallen to demonic false teaching. Many Christians have outrightly abandoned their faith, while others have left Bible-teaching churches in order to find a church that will agree with their sin. Many former Christians have given themselves over to a homosexual spirit, gone trans, deconstructed their faith, or have adopted a woke mindset, and quite frankly they may never return to repentance. They have split away from the Lord to their own peril.
The devil has sifted many within my own sphere of influence. Has he done the same in yours?
Entire denominations have fractured or are in the process of dividing, while many others have given up entirely, having freely traded the truth of God for a lie. We have opened our doors to destruction, for our pastors and leaders have neglected to protect the flock by allowing these false doctrines to grow:
Progressive Christianity
Liberal Christianity
Critical Race Theory
Queer Affirmation
Pro-Choice
Universalism
Rejection of the Inerrancy of Scripture
These are just a few that are popular at the time of this writing. Run from these; separate yourself from those who believe this way. God is not and never will be supportive of the sin contained therein.
It needs to be said… this separation was and is necessary.
We need the denominational splits.
We need the fractures in relationships.
We need the purge of the evil from among us.
Why? So that the Church may come out from among them and be separate. You cannot unite sin with holiness. The separation must occur.
To produce the best crop, sometimes the Gardener will need to lop off a few branches or remove a few diseased vines. He will throw them into the fire to be burned. Let Him work; do not attempt to stand in His way, even if He’s pruning you. Our Gardener is ready for any size job. The shears have been sharpened and even the axe is being laid to the root of the tree.
False teaching may rear its ugly head within your church. Should you listen to it, counsel it, or be patient with it? NO. Do as the Lord has commanded us to do and destroy every argument and lofty opinion that dares to exalt itself against the knowledge of Christ! Do not be tolerant, for it will deal death both to yourself and to your people.
Offense comes for the Word’s sake, therefore do not be surprised by it. While I write this, I am wondering who will be offended by these words and who will separate from me because of it. Yet I must speak what the Lord has given me in this hour. Speak the truth in love. You will know when to be gentle and when to be firm. By the Spirit you will know how to answer everyone, but do NOT be silent nor tolerate the demonic teachings as outlined above. A little leaven will leaven the whole lump every single time.
Remember this: if comprise is necessary to prevent the separation, then you must permit the separation and go with God.
While Satan is busy sifting the Church, I hear the echo of Moses crying out, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” Are you?
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
I hear this quite often, which I guess is a good thing: “Worship was great today” or something to that effect. And I greatly value any feedback! Yet every single time I hear someone’s approval of our worship service, I just can’t help but wonder what factors made the person feel that way.
I’m glad that they felt something, really I am. And I know what they mean when they say it. But infinitely more important than our assessment is what did the Lord think about it?
Full disclosure: I am a worship leader. So, over the next few minutes you’ll be reading about worship from a worship leader’s perspective.
Let’s begin with an affirmative statement. I thoroughly believe that worship services can be “great.” When we gather together in unity as a body of believers, singing as one, in all sincerity to the Lord, it will be very powerful. The atmosphere will be sweet, the Lord will be glorified, and His presence will be among us. Worship like this is engaging and transformative. The Lord will move prophetically during such worship, touching lives right then and there as we seek only to honor and reverence Him.
Having said that, let’s go a bit deeper into it. And if I may, I’ll challenge us on the matter.
Are we qualified to accurately judge how worship went? Seriously. If I’m completely transparent, I wonder if we have ever stopped long enough to give real thought to our worship. Do we lack the language, tools, and intimacy necessary to be the true worshippers that the Lord requires us to be?
Why do I pose this question? Well, ask most Christians what makes for great worship, and you’ll probably hear something like this:
The MUSIC! Yeah, that’s it. This is just my style. I like the singer. I love the guitar player’s parts. The drums are killing it on this one. Those keys are heavenly. This song moves me and I feel something!
The LYRICS! Now there’s some truth! This song speaks to my current situation, and I’ll repeat that bridge 10x no problem. Here’s some fighting words, I will sing with attitude. This hymn is ancient, and these old words make me feel super grounded. Finally, a song with theology that I 100% agree with!
The PARTICIPATION! The energy is high in this place today! The whole crowd is singing along so I feel part of something bigger. Most of us are super excited right now and that makes me feel excited, too. The people are lifting their hands and responding to the music so surely the Spirit is here!
So if… and follow me here… IF our worship service manages to hit all three of these things, I’ll call them the three “worship drivers” of music, lyrics, and participation, then will we feel that we have achieved “great worship”? This, my friends, is the sad truth of how we judge the quality of our worship.
Let’s have a good look at the problem. Those three things are mostly feelings-oriented, subjective, external, and they may be applied to any sort of live music setting, even a secular concert. And worst of all, these three worship drivers are exclusive of the Spirit. Being moved to good feelings is wonderful, yet that is not the goal nor the proof of a good worship service. God have mercy, worship is not even about us. We do not worship our feelings, we worship the Lord.
Quite frankly I don’t care if someone thinks the worship was great or not. Oh, I care if we did our job as a worship team; it matters that we put in the proper preparation, expression, sincerity, motivation, prayer, and the right content. All of these things will make for a good ministry, so to speak.
Yet let me be abundantly clear: we did not and will not worship the people, nor do we plan to be worshipping someone’s current idea of what they think worship should look like. We worship Him; therefore, we are responsible to create a space and provide songs for the body to worship through. The rest is up to you. What you do with that either creates or negates the worship. I can’t do it for you.
What I do care about is the condition, attitude, and willingness of your heart towards God DURING worship. Your praise and worship are a gift, response, and sacrifice to the Lord. If you continue to just stand there waiting to be moved by the three worship drivers I outlined above, then you are sadly and gravely mistaken. It’s not up to the external motivators, it’s what YOU bring that matters!
Do you know what makes for great worship, Child of God?
This one and only thing right here…
The expressive heart of the worshipper towards a Holy God.
Burn the stage, shut off the power, trash the fancy décor, smash the expensive instruments, remove all of our wildly talented singers and musicians, and tell me if we still have “great worship.”
Give me a room full of genuine worshippers and we will always have great worship.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
“I’m leaving the church!”
Hmmm… I’ve heard that one before. As a leader in the church, as a concerned fellow believer, and sometimes just as a nosey human being, my first question is always, “Why?”
There are many reasons why someone may leave a church. In my humble yet firm opinion, there are only three truly valid reasons for leaving your current church. Here they are: 1) Error in the church, 2) the Lord moving you to another specific region or church (for a specific reason), or 3) you’ve died. Seriously! The transient nature of church hopping has got to stop. Put down roots, dig in, serve fervently, get over yourself, and love people through decades! Yet I digress; that is a different topic.
For today, let’s have a look at one of the primary reasons why people leave a church body. Fasten your seatbelt, this is a crazy one: “I don’t like the music.”
Say WHAT?! Yep. Does that sound unbelievable? Yet it’s true.
Think about this for a minute. Have you ever left a church over the music? Maybe you know someone who has. Maybe you’ve become overly critical of the music within your own church.
Consider the music in your church. If you don’t have a current church, think about the music at your last church. Take the test, see if any of this resonates with you:
- I don’t like the style of music.
- I don’t like the song choices.
- The band are a bunch of show offs (or the band isn’t talented enough).
- The music is too big of a production (or it’s not big enough).
- The singers and musicians seem insincere (or they seem too fanatical).
- The music is too modern (or too old school).
- The music is too structured (or too free flowing).
Well, how did you do? Did any of those describe your feelings? Let me say this: it’s perfectly normal to critique something. There should be no shame in having an opinion about your church’s music! However, there is a problem if you let it affect you so deeply that it causes issues. For example, there is a problem if you refuse to worship the Lord because you are too busy being critical. Worse yet is when you share your offense with others and spread the poison. Worse than both of those is when you actually leave the church over it.
I say this because I personally know many people who have left a church because of the music. I also know many folks who have become toxic over sniffing the worship cork, so to speak.
Quite frankly, I think that being overly critical of worship music reveals a lot about the condition of one’s heart, although it’s not always because we have a bad heart. Some of those who have struggled with it seem to possess a most sincere and mature relationship with Christ! Yet it’s often the unrealized motivations that are the deadliest to our spiritual health.
How important is it for God’s people to worship and praise Him with song? Check out Isaiah 43:21 and Psalm 96. Yeah, it is extremely important to say the least!
A good look into our attitudes towards worship music is absolutely necessary.
We will get into the many worship disasters in future blog posts. Please keep an eye out for them and share them with your friends. God bless!
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
In my post last month, we looked at the definition of and the need for repentance. Now we ask the question: what does repentance look like? Thank God that we have excellent examples given by Jesus Himself! Although these two examples are different, they are very much the same.
In Luke 15, we find the story of the Prodigal Son.
To me, however, it seems more the story of the Joyful Father. You’ll see why in a minute. Anyway, it is here that we see not only a picture of true repentance, but also a demonstration of it. A father has two sons. The younger son requests his inheritance early, only to skip town and waste it all on a sinful lifestyle. Eventually the funds run out and he hits rock bottom. In his exhausted and wasted state, something stirs inside of him. He thinks to humble himself and return to his father. He planned to humbly confess, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.” In this way, he would throw himself upon his father’s mercy.
It is important to recognize that the son had made a decision followed up by actions. He had rejected his sin, changed his mind, turned around, and began journeying once again back to his father’s house. This, my friends, is where repentance begins.
Upon eyeshot of his homeland, something nearly unheard of happens. His father sees him, and pulling up his robes, his father actually begins running down the road to meet his wayward son! He catches him up in an embrace and kisses his cheeks. The son, still compelled to humble himself as he should, confesses to his father, “Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son…” But the father, already knowing the sincerity of his son’s actions, immediately begins yelling to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” In this amazing display of reconciliation, the father not only meets and welcomes his son, but he ushers him in, forgives, restores, and honors him with celebration and gifts beyond anyone’s expectation! This is true repentance accepted. The Lord will do the same thing with you.
Repentance is also seen with the woman caught in adultery.
In John 8, Jesus was teaching a crowd of people in the temple. The religious leaders saw this as an opportunity to test and condemn Jesus, so they conveniently found a woman caught in adultery and threw her down before Jesus. “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women,” they said, “So what do you say?” Jesus famously stated; “Let you without sin cast the first stone.”
Some seem to interpret this story as a “do not judge” sort of thing – that love and grace are more important than our actions, that sin is unimportant, that repentance is not necessary, and that if Jesus canceled judgement, then so should we. Yet given the context of this story, the above interpretation could not be any more wrong! To say that Jesus ignored her sin completely devalues their encounter and entirely misses the point. Jesus did not ignore her sin, nor did He cancel it or treat it lightly. Jesus recognized a sinful woman in dire need of mercy. He expected her to reject her sin, and then He led her to repentance. After all, every sinner needs repentance, always and forever.
This woman had repented, and this is what caused Jesus to extend His forgiveness and invite her to follow Him. Otherwise, she would not have been forgiven. How do we know this? Because of what He said. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” Notice that she called Him Lord, implying that she had rejected her sin, repented, and had submitted to His Lordship. Therefore, Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more” (John 8:11, emphasis mine). The Bible doesn’t tell us anything more about this woman, but I believe that she completely abandoned her sinful lifestyle and faithfully followed Jesus. Broken as she was, she had repented before Him, and His words of “Go, and sin no more” opened the door to her freedom!
Here’s something that completely overwhelms me. In each of these stories, there was a response initiated by both parties – by the sinner and by the Redeemer. It is absolutely amazing to me how the Lord will turn His attention toward us when we repent. He is so very loving and patient. His goodness leads us to repentance. No greater love exists. Come with your whatever scraps you have left, come with your addictions, come with your raw and bleeding wounds, come just as you are, but please come.
If the Lord is drawing you to repentance, act upon it immediately before it is too late. The Lord is commanding people everywhere to repent. He will run to you and make you His own.
If I could sum this up, here is what I would say; there is freedom, dear reader. No matter the struggle, no matter the depth of root, no matter the abuse that has bound you, no matter the heartache, no matter the chains digging into your skin, freedom is available, and it begins with true repentance. Come to Jesus and He will not cast you aside. Forgiveness and new life await.
“Lord, I come before You in need of forgiveness. I have sinned against You and I have sinned against others. I know that I need to serve You with my whole life, so therefore I make the decision to repent; to turn away from my sins and to turn towards You. Cleanse me from my sin, create in me a clean heart, oh God. Renew a right spirit within me. Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior.”
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
“Come as you are” is such a welcoming invitation. Thank God that I could come to Jesus just as I was. But the best news came after this invitation, sort of a necessary next step, and it’s something that seems to have been removed from modern-day Christianity. Many have forbidden it, calling it insensitive. It’s been banned from most of our churches, especially from progressive Christianity, and it’s becoming increasingly unpopular amidst conservative congregations. I would wager that 9 out of 10 self-proclaimed Christians cannot even define it.
What is this forbidden next step?
“REPENT!”
Did that word in capital letters make you feel unsettled? I hit that nerve on purpose; I know that it sounds jarring, cold, and commanding. Perhaps it summons unpleasant memories, recalling someone from our past who seemingly wielded repentance as a hammer against us. For some, it is reminiscent of “old time religion,” a relic from a harsh, ignorant past that we’ve progressed from.
Yet properly understood, repentance is the best news that you can ever hope to receive. It means that you don’t need to be stuck in cycles of sin, but that you can finally be free!
Before I had repented, my life was filled with ungodliness. I had been a liar and a cheater. I had surrounded myself with friends who were even worse off than I was. I had begun involvement with drugs and alcohol. I had gotten pretty deep into witchcraft, satanism, and the occult. All the while, I was going to church and still considered myself a Christian in spite of my ungodly life. Yet in my heart I knew that I was not truly a follower of Jesus and I wanted to change, I just didn’t know how. The Father was leading me to repentance, but no one around me had the knowledge or courage to help me get there. Even worse, many Christians around me were comforting me by affirming my sin!
I was part of a massive problem that is still plaguing the church. God help us, we have created generations of self-proclaimed Christians who have never truly repented of their sin. Maybe we felt sorry for our sin, maybe we modified bits of our behavior for a short while, maybe our remorseful emotions caused a tiny change or two, but it could not last. Christianity without repentance is worse than fantasy; it’s delusion. It’s a delusion that has gripped the hearts of millions through our failing churches who have pandered to our emotional states rather than the saving of our souls.
Like little kids trying to play with a new toy yet lacking the required batteries, “Christians” have been playing with the idea of faith in Jesus without ever including the repentance necessary to get it going. We should have known; I mean it’s literally spelled out for us, had we bothered to read it: “(Repentance not included. Full repentance required).”
What is repentance? Quite simply, repentance means to change the way you think, to change your will and mindset. It’s a decision to serve the Lord with everything in your life. Repentance is also “to turn around,” stop moving in your current direction, turn backwards, and begin walking down a new and different path, to turn from sin and towards the Lord. Repent and believe. I believe that faith is impossible without repentance. Repentance is the very doorway to faith. You can never be a disciple of Jesus without repentance. To repent and believe is the Biblical order.
Don’t take my word for it, take His Word:
Repentance is necessary for acceptance by the Lord. Come out from among the sinners and be accepted by Him. (2 Corinthians 6:17)
Repentance is so important that it was the first message that Jesus ever preached! Jesus commanded them to repent. (Matthew 4:17)
Repentance is so important that it was also the first message of the early church! Peter told them to repent. (Acts 2:37-39)
Repentance from sin is a required action, as maintaining a sinful lifestyle will exclude you from God’s Kingdom. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Repentance from sin is foundational, it is the first mentioned of the “basic principles” of God. (Hebrews 5:12-6:1)
Repentance is a proof that we know the Lord. (1 John 2:3-6)
Repentance is commanded by the Lord. (Acts 17:30-31)
Now that we understand what repentance is, we can do something about it.
“Come as you are,” yes, amen, and thank God that He allows us to approach Him while still in our sin! He is not afraid of our mess. But thank God that He loves us too much to keep us there! He changes our lives, if we let Him. What does true repentance look like? We take a look at Biblical repentance in the follow up post, “(Repentance Not Included) Part 2” next time.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
Let’s just get this out of way: if you have embraced Universalism, LGBT inclusion into the Body of Christ, Progressive Christianity, the removal of Hell, or think fondly upon the deconstruction of one’s faith, then you’ve likely tripped over the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy to get there. Not only tripped over it, but perhaps yanked it out by the roots. Or maybe you just haven’t understood what it means or why it is important.
Now that I have your attention, let’s take a quick look at what “Biblical inerrancy” means and why your Christian life may depend upon it.
“'Inerrant' signifies the quality of being free from all falsehood or mistake and so safeguards the truth that Holy Scripture is entirely true and trustworthy in all its assertions.” – The Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy
In simple terms, the doctrine of inerrancy states that the Bible is true, without error, and from God. We at Worldview Warriors believe that inerrancy applies to the original texts of Scripture (not necessarily the translations of the original language texts, as translations vary on several levels). We acknowledge that there are minor scribal variations that have occurred over time, but none that have affected its meaning. To believe this inerrancy is of primary importance to the life of every believer in Jesus Christ. If we remove this truth, we open the door to becoming weird at best and heretical at worst.
Do you believe that the Bible is “inerrant”? Not sure? Answer these questions:
1. Do you believe that the Bible gets some things wrong, that it may contain errors?
2. Do you doubt that the Bible is the authoritative “Word of God”?
3. Is the Bible old-fashioned, irrelevant, or needing to progress with modern times?
4. Is the Bible a product of human invention?
5. Are some events in the Bible fictitious stories?
6. Has the Bible been changed or adapted since it was originally written?
If you answered “yes” to any one of these questions, then you have either intentionally or unintentionally rejected the inerrancy of Scripture. And yes, that is a huge problem. Although culture will not admit it for some reason, the slippery slope is very real. What you allow today will become the new standard tomorrow. Believing that the Bible is wrong in some way will lead us down a very dark and destructive path.
Many reject inerrancy because they think that they’ve stumbled upon an error. A skeptic may cite a few perceived issues such as grammatical misunderstandings, mathematical issues such as the measurements of Solomon’s Sea, or seemingly contradictory passages such as whether there were one or two demoniacs in the Gadarenes. These issues are quickly resolved with a little research, yet more often than not this begins the journey of doubt. This doubt, unless put into check, will lead to the idea that the Bible is not trustworthy, authoritative, or divine.
Most of the time, however, the supposed contradictions or errors are not the problem. When a person claims that the Bible is wrong, it’s usually because that person doesn’t like what the Bible has to say. They disagree with a particular passage and they become offended. Their emotion drives them to devalue the Bible, dismissing it as irrelevant, errant, or simply unrealistic. Rather than deal with the truth of the Word of God, they find it easier to write it off or seek to change it. This is when the more insidious roots begin to grow.
At odds with the Bible, many Christians will declare that we have “outgrown” the old-fashioned notions of Scripture, arguing that particular passages of the Bible are best disregarded or perhaps updated to coincide with our evolving modern times. Then along comes the many Christian teachers and philosophers who will support this divided mindset.
I think of Rob Bell’s infamous dismissal of the legitimacy of Scripture. In his opinion, the Bible is out of touch with modern man and therefore irrelevant to our current culture. Speaking of how culture has evolved, Bell stated, “I think culture is already there and the church will continue to be even more irrelevant when it quotes letters from 2,000 years ago as their best defense.” In Bell’s mind, Scripture is not the enduring Word of God. This, my friends, is where false teachers have introduced their own pet heresies, having long ago released themselves from the bonds of God’s eternal truth. Reinventing Scripture to suit their own positions, they make their followers twice the sons of Hell that they are.
I do not want you to be led astray, dear Child of God. Teachings of demons come through those who have rejected inerrancy. Go read 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
To quote the title of this blog post, the rejection of inerrancy seems to be the first step to oblivion. In my experience, it is the gateway through which all sorts of false doctrine burst forth. I’ve seen good people lose faith or begin a journey of grave error after rejecting Biblical inerrancy. Do not become one of them.
To deny Biblical inerrancy is to make yourself the judge over Scripture. We are not privileged with the authority to break apart Scripture in attempts to pick and choose what is from God and what is not. The Word of God stands alone regardless of our approval. If we attempt to pick and choose, then we have become the judge over it. God forbid, Scripture is not ours to break. “The Scripture cannot be broken.” (John 10:35)
The Bible claims itself to be flawless; it is perfect. The authority of the Scripture is available through responsible and accurate translation of the original language writings. We possess these translations today. “And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.” (Psalm 12:6)
You would be correct to say that men wrote the Bible. However, they wrote only what the Lord had instructed them to write. Do not mistake human authorship with divine instruction. We also recognize that the Bible uses allegory and imagery; do not misinterpret this as error. The Bible can be trusted, and the authors wrote through the Spirit of God Himself. “Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
Finally, to deny inerrancy is to deny what God had already said about His own Scripture. To disagree with inerrancy is to set yourself at odds with God. The Bible truly is the Word of the Lord.” “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16)
If you are still on the fence, I implore you to take the time and effort required to wrestle through this. Listen outside of your current sphere of influence and discover the proofs of Biblical inerrancy from sources who believe it. Your Christian life depends upon it. Perhaps you already believe that the Bible is inerrant. If so, can you intelligently defend it? Take a few moments to digest the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. We must always have a strong defense of the inerrancy of Scripture.
For more on this topic, check out Ten Reasons to Believe the Bible by C.A. Wolcott.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
“Do you also want to go away?”
A fracture has occurred within the American Church. From Evangelicals to Catholics, those who would call themselves Christians have been rapidly falling away from Biblical truth. Are you one of them? On what basis are you sure?
John chapter 6 is absolutely heartbreaking to me. Here, we witness the account of Jesus presenting Himself as the Bread of Life. Referring to His crucifixion, the Son of God harkens to His violent and sacrificial death. By saying to “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood,” Jesus likens Himself to being consumed and to the necessity of believers partaking in the benefits of His death by coming to Him and believing in Him.
“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” (John 6:56-57, emphasis mine)
Something of particular sadness to me is found at the reaction of His disciples. Disciples: His disciplined followers who had made it their life point to be led by Him. Today, we may call them “Christians.”
“Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, 'This is a hard saying; who can understand it?' When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples grumbled about this, He said to them 'Does this offend you?'” (John 6:60-61, emphasis mine)
This was a “hard saying” not because it was difficult to understand but that it was difficult to accept. The idea was offensive to them. Following Jesus was fine as long as it would benefit them and cost them nothing. Good things happening and celebration? YES! The sick and outcast finding relief? YES! Being close to the Big Guy when He comes into power? YES! True fans of Jesus, yes they were.
Yet Jesus spoke and broke their bubble. His role as the Bread of Life meant that He would be consumed. This suggested that He would be sacrificed. If their Lord was to be sacrificed, then what sacrifice would be required of them? This didn’t fit their opinions. They wanted out. It seems they did not want Jesus for who He was, but for what they wanted Him to be. Their false idea of Jesus was more acceptable to them than the truth. Offense came at this realization, and they left.
Here it is: the infamous John 6:66, one of the most heartbreaking verses in all of the Bible: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”(emphasis mine)
I feel like these words could have been spoken of Christians in 2020.
In January of 2020, Dr. George Barna and the Cultural Research Center conducted a poll entitled “American Worldview Inventory 2020,” which was an annual survey that estimated how many adults have a Biblical worldview. The assessment was based on 51 worldview-related questions drawn from 8 categories of worldview application, measuring both beliefs and behavior. AWVI 2020 was undertaken in January 2020 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 adults.
From this cross-section of American Christians, we find that:
• Evangelicals are embracing secularism: A majority (52%) of evangelicals reject absolute moral truth; 61% do not read the Bible on a daily basis; 75% believe that people are basically good. The study found that one-third to one-half of evangelicals in the survey embrace a variety of beliefs and behaviors counter to biblical teaching and longstanding Evangelical beliefs.
• Pentecostals and charismatics take secularization a step further: Two-thirds (69%) reject absolute moral truth; 54% are unwilling to define human life as sacred, with half claiming the Bible is ambiguous in its teaching about abortion; and 69% say they prefer socialism to capitalism. A full 45% did not qualify as born-again Christians.
• Mainline Protestants are the most secular of the four faith families: Sixty percent (60%) of mainline Protestants’ beliefs directly conflict with biblical teaching. Three key values define this group: truth and morality are relative; life has no inherent value or purpose, so individuals should pursue personal happiness or satisfaction; and traditional religious practices are no longer seen as central or essential to their Christian faith. Only 41% of mainline Protestants are born again.
• Catholics are increasingly secular and permissive: They are most likely to falsely believe in salvation through works or living a good life, and least likely (28%) to be born again. Today’s Catholics are more permissive than other groups, being most likely to accept sexual relations outside of marriage, lying, speeding, and refusal to repay a loan as morally acceptable behaviors.
“Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’” (John 6:67, emphasis mine)
To partake of Jesus means that you live a sacrificial life. It will absolutely cost you. You will stand out in the culture and often not be celebrated. The notion that the world will LOVE you is absurd and most likely of Satanic origin. Jesus said quite the opposite, in fact. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it has hated you.” Following Christ means hard sacrifice, ridicule, and persecution.
A separation is occurring, Church. Many Christians are adopting unbiblical beliefs in the name of being “woke,” inclusive, relevant, and “loving.” You must realize that we don’t get to reinvent Jesus; we only receive Him as He is, as clearly seen within the Bible. We may not like it that Jesus is exclusive and that He has rules to be obeyed, especially rules regarding sexuality, personal holiness, protection of life, and many other deeply heated topics, yet He does. He cannot be separated from His Word.
Instead of scrambling to reinterpret the Bible to accommodate our views, we must submit our thinking to align with His, if we simply come to Him and believe. I would much rather lay aside my flawed opinions and abide with Jesus than I would protect my error and live a weak, counterfeit Christianity.
Do not fall for the bait of Satan. Jesus knows who are His. Are you His? Is the Father drawing you? Lay it all aside, come to Jesus and partake. No other but Jesus has the words of eternal life.
I leave you with this… John 6:66-68.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
Do we expect God to bless America? Our actions have everything to do with His blessing. Many Christians shy away from political involvement, yet if the Godly neglect to use our voice, then we allow the ungodly to call the shots.
“When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:2.
In the United States of America, you are blessed with the right to a voice, a vote. You also have the right to influence others around you regarding that vote. Use that vote wisely.
Party over candidate
Don’t like Biden? Don’t like Trump? Here’s something to remember: you are voting for the policies of a party perhaps more so than the candidate himself. The president is not the single “righteous” or “wicked” factor that you need to be concerned with. The party behind them is. No president runs alone; they are the representative of the party to which they belong. Look at the party. What do you see within it? Do you see overall righteousness or wickedness from that party?
Look at the policies of the party. Look closely at the trajectory of their policy. Where is it heading? Is it growing more progressive or more conservative? Who are the upcoming movers and shakers within the party, and what are they pushing for? Your vote will support the party’s trajectory and shape our future.
What to avoid
In choosing your vote, perhaps the worst thing you can do is vote for the candidate whom you personally “like” the best. Charm, eloquence, and stature are often very deceptive. Remember King Saul. He seemed to be the best suited for the position, yet he brought much grief. Some of the most magnetic, quick witted, and charismatic people are trojan horses for wicked policies.
Equally as wrong is voting for a candidate based upon their skin color. We call this racism. Let me say it louder for those in the back: this is called racism. To vote for a candidate because they are white is wrong. To vote for a candidate because they are black is wrong. To vote based on ethnicity is wrong.
What to look for
How does a party’s current and projected policies line up Biblically? Look at where the parties stand on issues important to Christians such as abortion, religious freedom, Israel and the Middle East, LGBT position, and the Constitution, just to name a few. Again, when held against the Word of God, do the policies reveal righteousness or wickedness from that party? A tree is known by its fruit.
What makes the people rejoice? Greater freedoms. High value placed on life. A prosperous economy. Policies that promote Godly values. This is what happens when the righteous are in authority.
What makes the people groan? The restriction of freedoms. Varying values placed on lives. A depressed economy. Policies that promote ungodliness. This is what happens when the wicked are in authority.
Bottom line
Our vote MUST align with the commandments of God as found in the Bible. We need to realize that our “feelings” have nothing to do with it. If our vote supports a party that pushes ungodly policy, then we need to repent and get back on track. I mean that with all sincerity; it’s time to get right before God and support what He supports and condemn what He condemns. The time is short. If God blesses our nation, it comes with our repentance first.
IF my people who are called by my name…
1. humble themselves
2. pray
3. seek my face
4. turn from their wicked ways
Then I will…
1. hear from heaven
2. forgive their sin
3. heal their land
(2 Chronicles 7:14)
The only hope for America is Jesus, through the voices and actions of a Godly, praying, and repentant people. Make no mistake about it, your vote is supportive of the party that you are voting for. Will your vote align with the Word of God? As a Christian, there can be no other way.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
The door flung open as he strode into the office, holding an envelope. I greeted him but he did not respond, staring at me with a face overcome with emotion. “What’s this?” I asked him. He went to speak but found no words, instead slapping the envelope on the counter and walking back out the door. I knew that it must be about his grandson, Clint.
What was inside of that envelope blew me away. We look for God to move inside of our church buildings, and He does, yet what if He most often prefers to move outside of them?
I try to remain open to the Spirit’s leading. Quite often the Lord will have me pray for someone, speak a Scripture, give Godly counsel, or outright share the gospel when I am out and about.
On this particular day, it happened while I was at work, just a couple of months ago.
While working with a particular customer, the conversation had somehow shifted off of his project and onto the funny things that little kids do. I don’t remember how this happened, but when a conversation shifts to something off topic, I have learned to pay special attention for this may be the leading of the Lord. And in this case, it was. He told me that he has a 3-year old grandson named Clint. “Please pray for him,” he said softly, “he’s undergoing surgery right now.”
This information alarmed me. He said that Clint had been having pain in his ear, nasal trouble, and a loss of hearing. The doctor suspected a tumor or cyst, some mass that needed to be removed, though they would not know more until they got in there to find out.
“You said that he’s undergoing surgery now, did you mean right this instant?” I asked him. He confirmed that Clint was literally on the operating table at that very moment. “Then let’s pray for him right now,” I said. The man seemed surprised by this but said, “Yes, let’s pray.” We stood in the parking lot while I began to pray out loud. Being careful to listen to the leading of the Lord during my prayer, I was slow to speak as the right Scripture and words came into my heart and out of my mouth.
A great urgency came in my heart just then during my prayer, and in my mind, I briefly saw an image of a gloved hand performing surgery. The hand suddenly moved towards a different section within the surgery area, then the image went away. I sensed a need to pray accordingly, so I did: “Fill the surgeons with wisdom and foresight, bring all things back into their remembrance, move and guide their hands to the right areas, directing them to see exactly what they need to see for Clint’s situation.” I felt relief after praying this. I knew in my heart that something significant had happened just then.
Upon concluding the prayer, the man thanked me and left. However, the situation remained upon my heart. A dear little 3-year old boy, the same age as my little son, it was a burden that I could feel.
A few days later, the man returned. He quickly walked into the office and delivered an envelope to me, leaving without saying a word, as he was overcome with emotion. Inside the envelope was a card:
“Thank you for praying for Clint. The doctor’s hand was clearly guided during the operation. At first he couldn’t find the obstruction and thought maybe it had resolved itself, but his hand was led to a spot he did not imagine could hold the cyst. He found and removed the obstruction and Clint will be fine. The obstruction was against a major nerve and if the Spirit had not moved his hand forward, Clint would have been stricken with both facial and brain issues. May God be glorified.”
Amazing.
God moves right where you are, regardless if you are at work, play, rest, or church. This may surprise you, but as the ministry of Jesus shows us… God especially “works” in mundane places, like the workplace. Have a look in the Gospels and identify the many individual people that Jesus encountered. Most of these occur within a place of work, so to speak.
Simon, Andrew, James, and John were at work fishing. (Matthew 4:18-22)
Matthew was at work in the tax booth. (Matthew 9:9-10)
The lame man was at work begging. (John 5:1-15)
The woman from Samaria was at work drawing water. (John 4:7-42)
We seem to think that we need to have the proper setting for God to move: the gathering of believers, the worship team, the pastor, and all that comes with the corporate assembly of “church.” Make no mistake about it, there is much power within the corporate assembly, and special things happen therein by God’s design (Psalm 133, 1 Corinthians 14:26, Hebrews 10:24,25). However, the Lord works through His people wherever they may be, regardless of numbers or location.
Sometimes it will come as a small voice leading you to do something. Perhaps a normal conversation shifts, and you will recognize the Lord in it. Maybe a Scripture will pop into your mind and you’ll be compelled to share it. Do not hold back when these things happen; these urgings can be the leading of the Holy Spirit, directly connected to the work of God being performed within another’s life! We want to be used of God, as if it was some clear cut, organized thing. Yet most often it is not! Look closer, it’s right there mixed among the mundane, ordinary, everyday duties of life, where the Lord shows up with an opportunity for wonder and power that we so quickly discard if we are not listening. But when we do listen… great things happen.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
They won’t say “Black Lives Matter,” and frankly, neither will I. Now before you condemn me in some manner, take a few minutes to find out why.
Accusation and condemnation are out of control in our nation. BLM has itself become a source of divisive tendency, from an opportunity to a line drawn in the sand so to speak, with many using it as a filter to sift the good people from the bad. To the confusion and anger of many BLM supporters, there remain millions who refuse to declare it. Instead of immediately accusing these people of racism, should we not seek to understand their reasoning? What if they are right?
You may wonder why I even bring this up. If you haven’t noticed, it’s really awkward out here. Most people that I am in contact with are either confused or unconvinced about how to interact with the issue. Unsure of what to do, they either retreat, become silent, spout off in frustration, or just go with the flow. Black, White, Asian, Latino, and even people of varying faiths all seem to be having trouble processing where we should stand.
For my part, I will speak as a Christian. If you are a person of faith, you simply will not be able to align with everything that Black Lives Matter openly supports. And, as a person of faith, you should not feel ashamed for your decision to withhold support of this movement, assuming that your intent is pure, as your priority in all things is unto the Lord. To be candid, I know many black people who refuse to support BLM. Your refusal to participate does not equal racism.
Here is something that we fail to understand: adherence to a statement or a specific movement is not necessary to display one's support of Black Americans. We desperately need to recognize this, otherwise we may accuse without cause. Yes, it is possible to fully support God-given racial equality while not aligning with the Black Lives Matter movement, and we should not condemn one another over it.
Regarding the phrase itself, I find it lacking. Black lives do not merely matter, they very much more than “matter”! Being fearfully and wonderfully made, black lives are wondrous works of divine creation, worthy of every respect and opportunity the same as any other skin color. As part of humanity, they exist as the marvelous loved ones eligible for salvation and fullness in God! Indeed, the Lord considers all “races” of equal value! This is why I would take exception with “black lives matter” as a phrase, as it feels extraordinarily weak to me, at best woefully incomplete. It fails to carry the proper strength.
“Black Lives are Created in the Image of God.”
“Black Lives are Precious.”
How about “Black Lives are Infinitely Valuable”?
These phrases better carry the weight of holy creation and would be more appropriate. Are they not better descriptors?
Yet saying these would draw anger from BLM supporters. Why? Because that’s not what we’re supposed to say, it does not fit their narrative. You must name the movement. Get in, get out, or get run over. Become an echo or be targeted and accused. Do you see the problem?
Exchanging movement over message, has the organization become more important than the cause that they seek to champion? Their change only? It’s of little wonder why so many people are confused over where to stand regarding BLM. The exclusivity exhibited by the organization is palpable.
Perhaps I am calling out the fly in the ointment. Perhaps the ointment itself is tainted.
So, what’s our problem with BLM, specifically? Have a look at what the organization believes: here is BLM’s belief statement. If you are a Christian, you will immediately recognize the dangerous agenda therein. It is a Trojan Horse. You will see the mixing of good with evil. This is why millions of Christians, and those of other religions, cannot get behind Black Lives Matter. How Christians can in good conscience support this organization at all is a mystery to me.
Do we have an obligation to support BLM as the only vehicle for positive change? Are we to ignore the evil and hope that it somehow does good? Take that before the Lord and get back to me. Is there an answer to racism, oppression, and defeat? The only answer that I know of is fixing the family unit. If we look towards legislation change to save us, we look in the wrong place. Imagine if we put as much effort into prayer, Godly community, and family support as we put into these movements – what great and lasting change we could see! But will we do what it takes?
My point is that we need to think twice before trigger jerking our accusations against one another. Many of us will not support Black Lives Matter, and it is foolish to label, accuse, and condemn us because of it. Acceptance and understanding go both ways. Although we may not support the movement, the Godly among us will greatly support black lives. The Lord is up to something in this season, we must join in His work and refuse to accuse people along the way.
Here is my statement: Black Lives are Infinitely Valuable. I wonder, can we agree on that and work towards a better tomorrow? Love God and love people.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
Statues are coming down. How do you feel about that?
Slogans are screaming upon signs, people are marching, and BLM is taking over the national conversation. What is your stance?
Deaths are being brought to greater attention, and people nationwide are demanding reform and declaring that justice be served. So, what do you do?
Pick a side and dig in. Unleash your rage and forget about the consequences. You are so blindly wrong, and you will feel my wrath, which you deserve, that I have been waiting to lavish upon you.
If I think you’re wrong then YOU are the problem and I’ll mow you down, either verbally or physically. I am justified in this, I’ve had ENOUGH.
Let the bodies hit the floor…
Let the bodies hit the floor…
Let the bodies hit the floor…
We simply don’t care anymore.
One nation, divided under God.
I know that you are angry. Depending upon what you are angry about, you may even have a great reason to be. But this isn’t Fox News and it isn’t CNN. These are people’s lives we are talking about. This is a cry into the heart of mankind, created in the image and after the likeness of God Himself.
Have righteous anger. But be angry and sin NOT.
Where is the voice of healing?
Where are the actions of true and lasting change?
We need to WAKE UP. We are NOT battling flesh and blood here.
No, that black person is not your enemy.
No, that white person is not your enemy.
No, that cop is not your enemy.
No, that institution is not your enemy.
No, that movement is not your enemy.
See? It’s on both sides. Racism is an ancient evil, born of Satan and carried along by demonic device.
Yes, we need to reveal the darkness.
Yes, we need to call out injustice.
Yes, we need to warn, protect, and educate.
Yes, we need to stand up for the neglected and empower the downtrodden.
Most importantly, YES we need to be like Jesus during this moment of His-story. Only God can judge, and rest assured that your every word and action will be judged by Him.
For my part, are my words brining life into this death scene? How useful am I really being? As a most wise mentor once told me, “Work like it all depends on work… and pray like it all depends on prayer.”
Sarcasm needs to stop. Pre-judging others needs to stop. Insults need to stop. Can we grow up? Satan has a plan for this. Yet God is up to something bigger, and only the wise will join Him there. You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. I won’t pretend to tell you how to fix this, but I do know who can. God help us, I fear that we are too self-righteous to seek Him. Do not look back on this moment and mourn the good you could have been.
Love God and love people. If bodies hit the floor, it should be yours – in prayer before a holy God.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
by Chad Koons
What if the world is being positioned to receive something otherwise not possible?
“Covid madness” has swept the world, bringing about all sorts of problems, both real and imagined, and this lockdown has pushed us to our limits. Yet through it all, I have been witnessing an unexpected effect that, depending upon our reaction to it, could possibly change everything.
More on that in a minute. First, please imagine a card game at a round table, where you are seated with several other players. The dealer deals the cards and you have been dealt a fine hand. Everyone is eager to begin the game, when suddenly the room grows dark as a new player steps up to claim his seat. It’s the devil, and he is prepared to challenge you. The game begins. The air becomes thick, suffocating you with the weight of impending doom as the game trudges forward. Cards are discarded and added, faces grow increasingly worried. Finally, the game comes to an end, and it comes time to lay the cards upon the table. The devil slowly leans forward and slides his cards down upon the table. The cards simply read “FEAR.” He cocks his head, bares a sly grin, and begins staring you straight in the eye, maliciously daring you to make your move. You quickly look around to the other players at the table, but each one is frozen, breathing heavily with mouths agape and sweat forming upon their brows. Fear has paralyzed them. You begin to feel the icy chill run your own spine as well. What do you do?
Have you even been frozen by fear? Has it ever dictated your next move?
There is one surprising fact that needs to be remembered regarding fear. Ready? Fear, as it turns out, is not even real. Fear is not an actual thing. (Check out this post for more on that.)
Having no essence in itself, it truly has no power over you. Live your day with or without fear, and the only impacts will be completely self-inflicted. Again, fear is not real.
Fear is a pathological liar, at best. It is an imaginary construct of its father, the devil, the father of lies.
The devil has unleashed a crippling fear upon us, but he was arrogant and too presumptuous. He expected us to cave in and to never recover. He expected us to become collectively weakened, reliant upon the power of man’s answers and less able to have faith in God. We’d be easier prey for him. You know that he’s a hungry, prowling lion, seeking to destroy us. But try as he might, his plan is failing.
Shut down our businesses, our schools, and our churches.
Restrict our travel and quarantine us to our homes.
Pump a never-ending stream of fear into our homes and hearts.
Yet somehow, the fear paralysis is beginning to wear off. We are calling his bluff.
Perhaps surprisingly, we are reawakening as a stronger people than we were before.
An unexpected effect is being seen through this process:
We are realizing what’s really important.
We are re-focusing on our families and loved ones.
We are rediscovering who we are.
We are feeling hope arise within us.
We are strengthening our faith and devotion to the Lord.
People of God: we are positioning for a great awakening!
Give the devil a deck of cards and he’ll overplay his hand every time. His plan is backfiring. The only power he has over you is the power that you’ll give him, and we’ve had enough of it. Although many of us have allowed fear to be more real to us than the actual dangers themselves, our eyes are opening.
All over the world, the Lord is bringing about personal revivals and salvations. I believe that we are on the threshold of something great. The Lord is stirring this season to springboard His Church into greater depth and power. There is a call to move forward, refreshed, with great determination, and to not look back.
Now, what will you do with this unexpected effect? It’s not automatic; we need to participate with it. As for me and my house, we will refuse to fold. We will even refuse the game. We will recognize what the Lord is doing and run with it. Want to talk about a “new normal”? Well, here it is, folks. The Church of the Living God is rising up, taking “fear not” as a command instead of as a nice suggestion. (Go here to see what God has to say about it.) We many never receive another eye-opening opportunity like this again in our lifetime. You have been gifted with this amazing and fresh re-focus. Will you build upon it, or allow it to dwindle away? We are all waiting for you to make your move.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language o threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
