When it comes to movies, there is nothing better than a good fight scene. This is especially true when the hero starts their story arch with very little ability. There’s just something incredibly invigorating about watching an improved protagonist display awesome skill … and kick a little tail! Personally, I’m particularly fond of sword fighting […]
Category Archives: Theology
I Pledge Allegiance to…
I grew up in a Christian home that was also very political. We watched presidential debates the way most people watched summer blockbusters – with our favorite snacks and a giddy sense of anticipation. Loving God and country as a Christian meant wanting the values of society to align with biblical values, and that’s not […]
Sharing the Gospel in a Noisy World
Jesus left us with a job to do – share the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20). Proclaiming the Good News is a task rooted in love and watered with urgency, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, many fear the commission of evangelism. What if I offend someone? What if I don’t know the answer to […]
What is the Gospel?
It is all too easy to stop thinking about the things with which we are familiar. For Christians, one such familiar word is gospel. It is one we usually associate with salvation, which of course is not wrong, but neither is it complete. You see, the term gospel, or good news, is meant to describe […]
The Passion Translation
There’s so much that needlessly divides our Christian community that it is difficult to write this sort of post. But, this is not politics or secondary theological concerns like whether women should be pastors, what applications the gifts of the spirit have today or even whether salvation can be lost. There is a time and […]
The Passion Translation: The Bible of Bethel and the NAR
**Note: Since the original post of this article (in 2016), due to the scrutiny and pressure from many academic scholars, there have been dramatic revisions made to The Passion Translation. On one hand this is a good thing. On the other hand, it serves to show just how much personal interpretation/theology was woven into this […]
Bethel Church – Redding: In Their Own Words
Bill Johnson says he affirms the essential doctrine that Jesus is eternally the Son of God. But is that true? This doctrine has traditionally meant that Jesus was not created, meaning he has no beginning, nor did he ever stop being God, meaning he has no end. However, if you listen to Johnson’s messages, or read […]
The New Apostolic Reformation and Their New Version of the Bible
God’s Word is inspired. It is infallible. It is truth. If those statements are true, then any theological movement claiming new revelation or needed restoration for Scripture should cause unease. Any movement that then proceeds to create its own “translation” of the Bible, should raise an enormous red flag. Of course most Christians are familiar […]
The New Apostolic Reformation – Part Four: Is the Assemblies of God Part of the NAR?
Technically, the answer is no. The AG position papers separate themselves from the teaching found in the NAR. However, AG churches are congregational, and have a lot of autonomy from their district leadership. As such, it is up to the pastors and leaders in those individual churches as to what extent they allow NAR influence […]
The New Apostolic Reformation – Part Three: The Influence of Bethel Church in Redding, CA
About Bethel Pastor Bill Johnson, formerly of the Assemblies of God, leads Bethel Church. This leader and church are a segment of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) called the Revival Alliance (http://revivalalliance.com/). Bill Johnson regularly speaks at The Voice of the Apostles Conference, has written several books, one of which is entitled When Heaven Invades […]