Renewal movement within Protestant Christianity
POPULARITY
Categories
In Matthew 7:16, Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits” (NKJV). Some use this verse to argue against the Pentecostal belief that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard addresses that argument directly. He explores what “fruit” means in Scripture and clarifies how speaking in tongues functions biblically in relation to salvation and the Christian life. This podcast episode offers a thoughtful, Scripture-based response for anyone seeking to understand the biblical role of tongues.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
In this episode of the Living Well podcast, Liv Hill and Megan Argueta delve into the importance of asking for help, exploring personal stories of independence and the struggles that come with it. They discuss how societal views on mental health and therapy have evolved, emphasizing that seeking help is a sign of strength rather than weakness. The conversation also touches on the spiritual aspects of seeking assistance and the importance of teaching the next generation about the value of community support. They conclude by discussing marriage counseling as a proactive tool for growth rather than a last resort. In this conversation, Megan Argueta and Liv discuss the importance of understanding spousal needs, effective communication in relationships, and the significance of seeking help when facing challenges. They emphasize the role of pride in preventing individuals from asking for assistance and the transformative power of support in personal and spiritual growth. The discussion also touches on the journey of prodigals and the importance of acceptance within the church community.
Joshua Lewis sits down with Dr. Joy Qualls—Pentecostal scholar, Assemblies of God minister, and author to explore the history, theology, and lived experience of women in Pentecostal leadership. From early Scandinavian pietist revivals and Azusa Street to modern Assemblies of God policy, they trace how Pentecostal theology of Holy Spirit empowerment collided with institutional respectability, evangelical politics, and unspoken “invisible fences” around women's roles in church leadership.Along the way, they unpack stories of forgotten Pentecostal heroines like Rachel Sislo, Amanda Benedict, May Eleanor Fry, and Blanch Elizabeth Britton—women who planted churches, prayed in revival, confronted injustice, and literally died on the road preaching the gospel. They also explore how AG policy has officially affirmed women in ministry since 1935, even while local practice has often lagged behind, creating dissonance for called women in Pentecostal churches.This episode will challenge both complementarian and egalitarian assumptions. It raises hard questions about ecclesiology, spiritual gifts vs. church offices, spiritual warfare over calling, and how movements lose their prophetic edge when they chase institutional respectability.This conversation provides historical context, theological categories, and pastoral wisdom for navigating the debate of women in ministry without capitulating to cultural pressure on either side.0:00 – Introduction2:27 – Book overview4:59 – The rhetoric versus reality for women in AG8:39 – Assemblies of God policy13:31 – National leadership changes16:54 – Growth in women's credentialing and leadership17:00 – Women's role before Azusa22:19 – Early female leaders36:46 – Institutionalization challenges43:03 – Pendulum swings51:47 – Influence of respectability and evangelical integration57:12 – Recent decades: education, policy, and hope for the future1:03:44 – Final thoughtsABOUT THE GUEST:
Danielle (00:02):Hey, Jenny, you and I usually hop on here and you're like, what's happening today? Is there a guest today? Isn't that what you told me at the beginning?And then I sent you this Instagram reel that was talking about, I feel like I've had this, my own therapeutic journey of landing with someone that was very unhelpful, going to someone that I thought was more helpful. And then coming out of that and doing some somatic work and different kind of therapeutic tools, but all in the effort for me at least, it's been like, I want to feel better. I want my body to have less pain. I want to have less PTSD. I want to have a richer life, stay present with my kids and my family. So those are the places pursuit of healing came from for me. What about you? Why did you enter therapy?Jenny (00:53):I entered therapy because of chronic state of dissociation and not feeling real, coupled with pretty incessant intrusive thoughts, kind of OCD tendencies and just fixating and paranoid about so many things that I knew even before I did therapy. I needed therapy. And I came from a world where therapy wasn't really considered very Christian. It was like, you should just pray and if you pray, God will take it away. So I actually remember I went to the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, partly because I knew it was a requirement to get therapy. And so for the first three years I was like, yeah, yeah, my school requires me to go to therapy. And then even after I graduated, I was like, well, I'm just staying in therapy to talk about what's coming up for my clients. And then it was probably five years, six years into therapy when I was finally like, no, I've gone through some really tough things and I just actually need a space to talk about it and process it. And so trying to develop a healthier relationship with my own body and figuring out how I wanted to move with integrity through the world is a big part of my healing journey.Danielle (02:23):I remember when I went to therapy as a kid and well, it was a psychologist and him just kind of asking really direct questions and because they were so direct and pointed, just me just saying like, nah, never happened, never did that, never felt that way, et cetera, et cetera. So I feel like as I've progressed through life, I've had even a better understanding of what's healing for me, what is love life like my imagination for what things could be. But also I think I was very trusting and taught to trust authority figures, even though at the same time my own trauma kept me very distrusting, if that makes sense. So my first recommendations when I went, I was skeptical, but I was also very hopeful. This is going to help.Jenny (03:13):Yeah, totally. Yep. Yeah. And sometimes it's hard for me to know what is my homeschool brain and what is just my brain, because I always think everyone else knows more than me about pretty much everything. And so then I will do crazy amount of research about something and then Sean will be like, yeah, most people don't even know that much about that subject. And I'm like, dang it, I wasted so much effort again. But I think especially in the therapy world, when I first started therapy, and I've seen different therapists over the years, some better experiences than others, and I think I often had that same dissonance where I was like, I think more than me, but I don't want you to know more than me. And so I would feel like this wrestling of you don't know me actually. And so it created a lot of tension in my earlier days of therapy, I think.Danielle (04:16):Yeah, I didn't know too with my faith background how therapy and my faith or theological beliefs might impact therapy. So along the lines of stereotypes for race or stereotypes for gender or what do you do? I am a spiritual person, so what do I do with the thought of I do believe in angels and spiritual beings and evil and good in the world, and what do I do? How does that mix into therapy? And I grew up evangelical. And so there was always this story, I don't know if you watched Heaven's Gates, Hells Flames at your church Ever? No. But it was this play that they came and they did, and you were supposed to invite your friends. And the story was some people came and at the end of their life, they had this choice to choose Jesus or not. And the story of some people choosing Jesus and making it into heaven and some people not choosing Jesus and being sent to hell, and then there was these pictures of these demons and the devil and stuff. So I had a lot of fear around how evil spirits were even just interacting with us on a daily basis.Jenny (05:35):Yeah, I grew up evangelical, but not in a Pentecostal charismatic world at all. And so in my family, things like spiritual warfare or things like that were not often talked about in my faith tradition in my family. But I grew up in Colorado Springs, and so by the time I was in sixth, seventh grade, maybe seventh or eighth grade, I was spending a lot of time at Ted Haggard's New Life Church, which was this huge mega, very charismatic church. And every year they would do this play called The Thorn, and it would have these terrifying hell scenes. It was very common for people to throw up in the audience. They were so freaked out and they'd have demons repelling down from the ceiling. And so I had a lot of fear earlier than that. I always had a fear of hell. I remember on my probably 10th or 11th birthday, I was at Chuck E Cheese and my birthday Wish was that I could live to be a thousand because I thought then I would be good enough to not go to hell.(06:52):I was always so afraid that I would just make the simplest mistake and then I would end up in hell. And even when I went to bed at night, I would tell my parents goodnight and they'd say, see you tomorrow. And I wouldn't say it because I thought as a 9-year-old, what if I die and I don't see them tomorrow? Then the last thing I said was a lie, and then I'm going to go to hell. And so it was always policing everything I did or said to try to avoid this scary, like a fire that I thought awaited me.Yeah, yeah. I mean, I am currently in New York right now, and I remember seeing nine 11 happen on the news, and it was the same year I had watched Left Behind on that same TV with my family. So as I was watching it, my very first thought was, well, these planes ran into these buildings because the pilots were raptured and I was left behind.Danielle (08:09):And so I know we were like, we get to grad school, you're studying therapy. It's mixed with psychology. I remember some people saying to me, Hey, you're going to lose your faith. And I was like, what does that mean? I'm like 40, do you assume because I learned something about my brain that's going to alter my faith. So even then I felt the flavor of that, but at the time I was with seeing a Christian therapist, a therapist that was a Christian and engaging in therapy through that lens. And I think I was grateful for that at the time, but also there were things that just didn't feel right to me or fell off or racially motivated, and I didn't know what to say because when I brought them into the session, that became part of the work as my resistance or my UNC cooperation in therapy. So that was hard for me. I don't know if you noticed similar things in your own therapy journey.Jenny (09:06):I feel sick as you say, that I can feel my stomach clenching and yeah, I think for there to be a sense of this is how I think, and therefore if you as the client don't agree, that's your resistance(09:27):Is itself whiteness being enacted because it's this, I think about Tema, Koon's, white supremacy, cultural norms, and one of them is objectivity and the belief that there is this one capital T objective truth, and it just so happens that white bodies have it apparently. And so then if you differ with that than there is something you aren't seeing, rather than how do I stay in relation to you knowing that we might see this in a very different way and how do we practice being together or not being together because of how our experiences in our worldviews differ? But I can honor that and honor you as a sovereign being to choose your own journey and your self-actualization on that journey.Danielle(10:22):So what are you saying is that a lot of our therapeutic lens, even though maybe it's not Christian, has been developed in this, I think you used the word before we got on here like dominion or capital T. I do believe there is truth, but almost a truth that overrides any experience you might have. How would you describe that? Yeah. Well,Jenny (10:49):When I think about a specific type of saying that things are demonic or they're spiritual, a lot of that language comes from the very charismatic movement of dominion and it uses a lot of spiritual warfare language to justify dominion. And it's saying there's a stronghold of Buddhism in Thailand and that's why we have to go and bring Jesus. And what that means is bring white capitalistic Jesus. And so I think that that plays out on mass scales. And a big part of dominion is that the idea that there's seven spheres of society, it's like family culture, I don't remember all of them education, and the idea is that Christians should be leaders in each those seven spheres of society. And so a lot of the language in that is that there are demons or demonic strongholds. And a lot of that language I think is also racialized because a lot of it is colorism. We are going into this very dark place and the association with darkness always seems to coincide with melanin, You don't often hear that language as much when you're talking about white communities.Danielle (12:29):Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it's interesting when you talk about nuts and bolts and you're in therapy, then it becomes almost to me, if a trauma happens to you and let's say then the theory is that alongside of that trauma and evil entity or a spirit comes in and places itself in that weak spot, then it feels like we're placing the victim as sharing the blame for what happened to them or how they're impacted by that trauma. I'm not sure if I'm saying it right, but I dunno, maybe you can say it better. (13:25):Well, I think that it's a way of making even the case of sexual assault, for instance, I've been in scenarios where or heard stories where someone shared a story of sexual assault or sexual violence and then their life has been impacted by that trauma in certain patterned ways and in the patterns of how that's been impacted. The lens that's additionally added to that is saying an evil entity or an evil spirit has taken a stronghold or a footing in their life, or it's related to a generational curse. This happened to your mother or your grandma too. And so therefore to even get free of the trauma that happened to you, you also have to take responsibility for your mom or your grandma or for exiting an evil entity out of your life then to get better. Does that make sense or what are you hearing me say?Jenny (14:27):Well, I think I am hearing it on a few different levels. One, there's not really any justification for that. Even if we were to talk about biblical counseling, there's not a sense of in the Bible, a demon came into you because this thing happened or darkness came into you or whatever problematic language you want to use. Those are actually pretty relatively new constructs and ideas. And it makes me think about how it also feels like whiteness because I think about whiteness as a system that disables agency. And so of course there may be symptoms of trauma that will always be with us. And I really like the framework of thinking of trauma more like diabetes where it's something you learn to moderate, it's something you learn to take care of, but it's probably never going to totally leave you. And I think, sorry, there's loud music playing, but even in that, it's like if I know I have diabetes, I know what I can do. If there's some other entity somewhere in me, whatever that means, that is so disempowering to my own agency and my own choice to be able to say, how do I make meaning out of these symptoms and how do I continue living a meaningful life even if I might have difficulties? It's a very victimizing and victim blaming language is what I'm hearing in that.Danielle (16:15):And it also is this idea that somehow, for instance, I hate the word Christian, but people that have faith in Jesus that somewhere wrapped up in his world and his work and his walk on earth, there's some implication that if you do the right things, your life will be pain-free or you can get to a place where you love your life and the life that you're loving no longer has that same struggle. I find that exactly opposite of what Jesus actually said, but in the moment, of course, when you're engaged in that kind of work, whether it's with a spiritual counselor or another kind of counselor, the idea that you could be pain-free is, I mean, who doesn't want to be? Not a lot of people I know that were just consciously bring it on. I love waking up every day and feeling slightly ungrounded, doesn't everyone, or I like having friends and feeling alone who wakes up and consciously says that, but somehow this idea has gotten mixed in that if we live or make enough money, whether it's inside of therapy or outside of healing, looks like the idea of absence of whether I'm not trying to glorify suffering, but I am saying that to have an ongoing struggle feels very normal and very in step with Jesus rather than out of step.Jenny (17:53):It makes me think of this term I love, and I can't remember who coined it at the moment, but it's the word, and it's the idea that your health and that could kind of be encompassing a lot of different things, relational health, spiritual health, physical health is co-opted by this neoliberal capitalistic idea that you are just this lone island responsible for your health and that your health isn't impacted by colonialism and white supremacy and capitalism and all of these things that are going to be detrimental to the wellness and health of all the different parts of you. And so I think that that's it or hyper spiritualizing it. Not to say there's not a spiritual component, but to say, yes, I've reduced this down to know that this is a stronghold or a demon. I think it abdicates responsibility for the shared relational field and how am I currently contributing and benefiting from those systems that may be harming you or someone else that I'm in relationship with. And so I think about spiritual warfare. Language often is an abdication for holding the tension of that relational field.Danielle (19:18):Yeah, that's really powerful. It reminds me of, I often think of this because I grew up in these wild, charismatic religion spaces, but people getting prayed for and then them miraculously being healed. I remember one person being healed from healed from marijuana and alcohol, and as a kid I was like, wow. So they just left the church and this person had gotten up in front of the entire church and confessed their struggle or their addiction that they said it was and confessed it out loud with their family standing by them and then left a stage. And sometime later I ran into one of their kids and they're like, yeah, dad didn't drink any alcohol again, but he still hit my mom. He still yelled at us, but at church it was this huge success. It was like you didn't have any other alcohol, but was such a narrow view of what healing actually is or capacity they missed. The bigger what I feel like is the important stuff, whatever thatBut that's how I think about it. I think I felt in that type of therapy as I've reflected that it was a problem to be fixed. Whatever I had going on was a problem to be fixed, and my lack of progress or maybe persistent pain sometimes became this symbol that I somehow wasn't engaging in the therapeutic process of showing up, or I somehow have bought in and wanted that pain longterm. And so I think as I've reflected on that viewpoint from therapy, I've had to back out even from my own way of working with clients, I think there are times when we do engage in things and we're choosing, but I do think there's a lot of times when we're not, it's just happening.Jenny (21:29):Yeah, I feel like for me, I was trained in a model that was very aggressive therapy. It was like, you got to go after the hardest part in the story. You have to go dig out the trauma. And it was like this very intense way of being with people. And unfortunately, I caused a lot of harm in that world and have had to do repair with folks will probably have to do more repair with folks in the future. And through somatic experiencing training and learning different nervous system modalities, I've come to believe that it's actually about being receptive and really believing that my client's body is the widest person in the room. And so how do I create a container to just be with and listen and observe and trust that whatever shifts need to happen will come from that and not from whatever I'm trying to project or put into the space.Danielle (22:45):I mean, it's such a wild area of work that it feels now in my job, it feels so profoundly dangerous to bring in spirituality in any sense that says there's an unseen stronghold on you that it takes secret knowledge to get rid of a secret prayer or a specific prayer written down in a certain order or a specific group of people to pray for you, or you have to know, I mean, a part of this frame, I heard there's contracts in heaven that have agreed with whatever spirit might be in you, and you have to break those contracts in order for your therapy to keep moving forward. Now, I think that's so wild. How could I ever bring that to a client in a vulnerable?And so it's just like, where are these ideas coming from? I'm going to take a wild hair of a guest to say some white guy, maybe a white lady. It's probably going to be one or the other. And how has their own psychology and theology formed how they think about that? And if they want to make meaning out of that and that is their thing, great. But I think the problem is whenever we create a dogma around something and then go, and then this is a universal truth that is going to apply to my clients, and if it doesn't apply to my clients, then my clients are doing it wrong. I think that's incredibly harmful.Yeah, I know. I think the audacity and the level of privilege it would be to even bring that up with a client and make that assumption that that could be it. I think it'd be another thing if a client comes and says, Hey, I think this is it, then that's something you can talk about. But to bring it up as a possible reason someone is stuck, that there's demonic in their life, I think, well, I have, I've read recently some studies that actually increases suicidality. It increases self-harming behaviors because it's not the evil spirit, but it's that feeling of I'm powerless. Yeah,Jenny (25:30):Yeah. And I ascribed to that in my early years of therapy and in my own experience I had, I had these very intensive prayer sessions when therapy wasn't cutting it, so I needed to somehow have something even more vigorously digging out whatever it was. And it's kind of this weird both, and some of those experiences were actually very healing for me. But I actually think what was more healing was having attuned kind faces and maybe even hands on me sometimes and these very visceral experiences that my body needed, but then it was ascribed to something ethereal rather than how much power is in ritual and coming together and doing something that we can still acknowledge we are creating this,That we get to put on the meaning that we're making. We don't have to. Yeah, I don't know. I think we can do that. And I think there are gentler ways to do that that still center a sense of agency and less of this kind of paternalistic thinking too, which I think is historical through the field of psychology from Freud onwards, it was this idea that I'm the professional and I know what's best for you. And I think that there's been much work and still as much work to do around decolonizing what healing professions look like. And I find myself honestly more and more skeptical of individual work is this not only, and again, it's of this both, and I think it can be very helpful. And if individual work is all that we're ever doing, how are we then disabling ourselves from stepping into more of those places of our own agency and ability?Danielle (27:48):Man, I feel so many conflicts as you talk. I feel that so much of what we need in therapy is what we don't get from community and friendships, and that if we had people, when we have people and if we have people that can just hold our story for bits at a time, I think often that can really be healing or just as healing is meaning with the therapist. I also feel like getting to talk one-on-one with someone is such a relief at times to just be able to spill everything. And as you know, Jenny, we both have partners that can talk a lot, so having someone else that we can just go to also feels good. And then I think the group setting, I love it when I'm in a trusted place like that, however it looks, and because of so many ethics violations like the ones we're talking about, especially in the spiritual realm, that's one reason I've hung onto my license. But at the same time, I also feel like the license is a hindrance at sometimes that it doesn't allow us to do everything that we could do just as how do you frame groups within that? It just gets more complicated. I'm not saying that's wrong, it's just thoughts I have.Jenny (29:12):Totally. Yeah, and I think it's intentionally complicated. I think that's part of the problem I'm thinking about. I just spent a week with a very, very dear 4-year-old in my life, and Amari, my dog was whining, and the 4-year-old asked Is Amari and Amari just wanted to eat whatever we were eating, and she was tied to the couch so she wouldn't eat a cat. And Sean goes, Amari doesn't think she's okay. And the four-year-old goes, well, if Amari doesn't think she's okay, she's not okay. And it was just like this most precious, empathetic response that was so simple. I was like, yeah, if you don't think you're okay, you're not okay. And just her concern was just being with Amari because she didn't feel okay. And I really think that that's what we need, and yet we live in a world that is so disconnected because we're all grinding just to try to get food and healthcare and water and all of the things that have been commodified. It's really hard to take that time to be in those hospitable environments where those more vulnerable parts of us get to show upDanielle (30:34):And it can't be rushed. Even with good friends sometimes you just can't sit down and just talk about the inner things. Sometimes you need all that warmup time of just having fun, remembering what it's like to be in a space with someone. So I think we underestimate how much contact we actually need with people.Yeah. What are your recommendations then for folks? Say someone's coming out of that therapeutic space or they're wondering about it. What do you tell people?Jenny (31:06):Go to dance class.I do. And I went to a dance class last night, last I cried multiple times. And one of the times the teacher was like, this is $25. This is the cheapest therapy you're ever going to have. And it's very true. And I think it is so therapeutic to be in a space where you can move your body in a way that feels safe and good. And I recognize that shared movement spaces may not feel safe for all bodies. And so that's what I would say from my embodied experience, but I also want to hold that dance spaces are not void of whiteness and all of these other things that we're talking about too. And so I would say find what can feel like a safe enough community for you, because I don't think any community is 100% safe,I think we can hopefully find places of shared interest where we get to bring the parts of us that are alive and passionate. And the more we get to share those, then I think like you're saying, we might have enough space that maybe one day in between classes we start talking about something meaningful or things like that. And so I'm a big fan of people trying to figure out what makes them excited to do what activity makes them excited to do, and is there a way you can invite, maybe it's one, maybe it's two, three people into that. It doesn't have to be this giant group, but how can we practice sharing space and moving through the world in a way that we would want to?Danielle (32:55):Yeah, that's good. I like that. I think for me, while I'm not living in a warm place, I mean, it's not as cold as New York probably, but it's not a warm place Washington state. But when I am in a warm place, I like to float in saltwater. I don't like to do cold plunges to cold for me, but I enjoy that when I feel like in warm salt water, I feel suddenly released and so happy. That's one thing for me, but it's not accessible here. So cooking with my kids, and honestly my regular contact with the same core people at my gym at a class most days of the week, I will go and I arrive 20 minutes early and I'll sit there and people are like, what are you doing? If they don't know me, I'm like, I'm warming up. And they're like, yeah.(33:48):And so now there's a couple other people that are arrive early and they just hang and sit there, and we're all just, I just need to warm up my energy to even be social in a different spot. But once I am, it's not deep convo. Sometimes it is. I showed up, I don't know, last week and cried at class or two weeks ago. So there's the possibility for that. No one judges you in the space that I'm in. So that, for me, that feels good. A little bit of movement and also just being able to sit or be somewhere where I'm with people, but I'm maybe not demanded to say anything. So yeah,Jenny (34:28):It makes me think about, and this may be offensive for some people, so I will give a caveat that this resonates with me. It's not dogma, but I love this podcast called Search for the Slavic Soul, and it is this Polish woman who talks about pre-Christian Slavic religion and tradition. And one of the things that she talks about is that there wasn't a lot of praying, and she's like, in Slavic tradition, you didn't want to bother the gods. The Gods would just tell you, get off your knees and go do something useful. And I'm not against prayer, but I do think in some ways it seems related to what we're talking about, about these hyper spiritualizing things, where it's like, at what point do we actually just get up and go live the life that we want? And it's not going to be void of these symptoms and the difficult things that we have with us, but what if we actually let our emphasis be more on joy and life and pleasure and fulfillment and trust that we will continue metabolizing these things as we do so rather than I have to always focus on the most negative, the most painful, the most traumatic thing ever.(35:47):I think that that's only going to put us more and more in that vortex to use somatic experiencing language rather than how do I grow my counter vortex of pleasure and joy and X, y, Z?Danielle (35:59):Oh yeah, you got all those awards and I know what they are now. Yeah. Yeah. We're wrapping up, but I just wanted to say, if you're listening in, we're not prescribing anything or saying that you can't have a spiritual experience, but we are describing and we are describing instances where it can be harmful or ways that it could be problematic for many, many people. So yeah. Any final thoughts, Jenny? IJenny (36:32):Embrace the mess. Life is messy and it's alright. Buckle up.Kitsap County & Washington State Crisis and Mental Health ResourcesIf you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911.This resource list provides crisis and mental health contacts for Kitsap County and across Washington State.Kitsap County / Local ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They OfferSalish Regional Crisis Line / Kitsap Mental Health 24/7 Crisis Call LinePhone: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/24/7 emotional support for suicide or mental health crises; mobile crisis outreach; connection to services.KMHS Youth Mobile Crisis Outreach TeamEmergencies via Salish Crisis Line: 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://sync.salishbehavioralhealth.org/youth-mobile-crisis-outreach-team/Crisis outreach for minors and youth experiencing behavioral health emergencies.Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS)Main: 360‑373‑5031; Toll‑free: 888‑816‑0488; TDD: 360‑478‑2715Website: https://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org/crisis-24-7-services/Outpatient, inpatient, crisis triage, substance use treatment, stabilization, behavioral health services.Kitsap County Suicide Prevention / “Need Help Now”Call the Salish Regional Crisis Line at 1‑888‑910‑0416Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/Suicide-Prevention-Website.aspx24/7/365 emotional support; connects people to resources; suicide prevention assistance.Crisis Clinic of the PeninsulasPhone: 360‑479‑3033 or 1‑800‑843‑4793Website: https://www.bainbridgewa.gov/607/Mental-Health-ResourcesLocal crisis intervention services, referrals, and emotional support.NAMI Kitsap CountyWebsite: https://namikitsap.org/Peer support groups, education, and resources for individuals and families affected by mental illness.Statewide & National Crisis ResourcesResourceContact InfoWhat They Offer988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (WA‑988)Call or text 988; Website: https://wa988.org/Free, 24/7 support for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, relationship problems, and substance concerns.Washington Recovery Help Line1‑866‑789‑1511Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesHelp for mental health, substance use, and problem gambling; 24/7 statewide support.WA Warm Line877‑500‑9276Website: https://www.crisisconnections.org/wa-warm-line/Peer-support line for emotional or mental health distress; support outside of crisis moments.Native & Strong Crisis LifelineDial 988 then press 4Website: https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/injury-and-violence-prevention/suicide-prevention/hotline-text-and-chat-resourcesCulturally relevant crisis counseling by Indigenous counselors.Additional Helpful Tools & Tips• Behavioral Health Services Access: Request assessments and access to outpatient, residential, or inpatient care through the Salish Behavioral Health Organization. Website: https://www.kitsap.gov/hs/Pages/SBHO-Get-Behaviroal-Health-Services.aspx• Deaf / Hard of Hearing: Use your preferred relay service (for example dial 711 then the appropriate number) to access crisis services.• Warning Signs & Risk Factors: If someone is talking about harming themselves, giving away possessions, expressing hopelessness, or showing extreme behavior changes, contact crisis resources immediately.Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that. Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.
In this episode of Perspectives with Joseph Mattera, we bring you behind the scenes of a high-level apostolic roundtable—featuring voices from across nations and movements—to discuss the urgent state of the global Church. From persecution in the East to post-Christianity in the West… From explosive revival in the Global South to moral drift in the North… The body of Christ is being stretched, shaken, and refined in this hour. Dr. Mattera unpacks key insights from this international gathering, including: Why the future of missions is rooted in the marketplace The Church's response to secularism, AI, and the crisis of identity How historic Pentecostal movements are shifting toward kingdom reform The urgent call for spiritual fathers, apostolic alignment, and city-reaching strategy Why global collaboration is no longer optional—it's essential This is more than commentary. It's a call to discern the times and lead with courage. Because the Church is not merely reacting to culture—it's being called to shape the future.
John and Chino explore how the “little gods” doctrine emerged, evolved, and spread through Pentecostal, Latter Rain, Word of Faith, and modern charismatic movements. They trace the development of these ideas from William Branham’s distorted view of Christ as a “thought expressed,” through Hobart Freeman’s charismatic reinterpretations, and into the broader landscape of dominionism and modern spiritual power claims. Along the way, they highlight how proof-texting, misused Greek terms, and theological shortcuts created a framework that encouraged believers to see themselves as small deities capable of commanding reality, weather, sickness, and even God Himself. The discussion also exposes the psychological and spiritual consequences of this theology—how it fostered hierarchies of “manifested sons,” opened the door to manipulative ministry culture, and blurred the line between biblical faith and occult-like practices. John and Chino connect these historical teachings to current religious-political movements, examining how ideas about dominion, authority, and spiritual control continue to shape contemporary charismatic expressions. This episode gives listeners a clear historical roadmap of how these ideas took root and why they still matter today. John and Chino explore how the “little gods” doctrine emerged, evolved, and spread through Pentecostal, Latter Rain, Word of Faith, and modern charismatic movements. They trace the development of these ideas from William Branham’s distorted view of Christ as a “thought expressed,” through Hobart Freeman’s charismatic reinterpretations, and into the broader landscape of dominionism and modern spiritual power claims. Along the way, they highlight how proof-texting, misused Greek terms, and theological shortcuts created a framework that encouraged believers to see themselves as small deities capable of commanding reality, weather, sickness, and even God Himself. The discussion also exposes the psychological and spiritual consequences of this theology—how it fostered hierarchies of “manifested sons,” opened the door to manipulative ministry culture, and blurred the line between biblical faith and occult-like practices. John and Chino connect these historical teachings to current religious-political movements, examining how ideas about dominion, authority, and spiritual control continue to shape contemporary charismatic expressions. This episode gives listeners a clear historical roadmap of how these ideas took root and why they still matter today.______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________– Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
Does Deuteronomy 6:4 teach the absolute oneness of God, or does the Hebrew text support a Trinitarian understanding of God's nature? On this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard responds to a popular argument circulated by Trinitarian apologists which claims the Hebrew word echad in Deuteronomy 6:4 refers to “unity” rather than “singularity,” thereby implying plurality within the Godhead.Dr. Bernard evaluates the linguistic, biblical, and theological merit of this claim and explains how Oneness Pentecostals should understand and respond to this interpretation. His clear explanation of the Hebrew text and its broader scriptural context offers valuable guidance for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the doctrine of the Oneness of God.For further study, see Dr. Bernard's book The Oneness of God. Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works is available at PentecostalPublishing.com. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
If you want to reignite evangelization and renewal in your parish, listen to this episode. Click here to get a free sneak peek of Ron's chapter from our upcoming book Road to Renewal: https://mailchi.mp/huntleyleadership.com/7nd1q77agc In this episode of the Huntley Leadership Podcast, Ron sits down with Terry Quinn—a fiery Catholic revert who spent 30 years as a Pentecostal–Evangelical pastor, Bible teacher, and evangelist before returning to the Catholic Church. Terry shares how a devastating season (the death of his young son) led to a powerful encounter with Jesus in a Catholic charismatic prayer group, why he eventually left the Church in frustration, and what drew him back after decades of preaching, planting churches, and leading missions all over the world. He talks candidly about the hunger for Jesus that drives many Catholics out of the pews, the power of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the urgent need for real preaching, evangelization, and ongoing formation for clergy and laity alike. If you're a priest, parish leader, or lay disciple who feels stuck in “keeping things running” and longs to see real spiritual growth and conversion, this conversation will challenge and encourage you. About Our Guest – Terry Quinn Terry Quinn returned to the Catholic Church after a 30-year journey in the Pentecostal–Evangelical world of churches, where he served as a pastor, international Bible teacher, conference speaker, and evangelist. He now leads Catholic Revert, a ministry dedicated to apologetics, evangelization, and discipleship within the Catholic Church. Terry's speaking ministry has a no-nonsense, prophetic edge—proclaiming Catholic teaching in a way that is bold, practical, and deeply challenging. His heart is to see Catholics fall in love with Jesus, be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and be equipped to reach the truly lost. Learn more about Terry and Catholic Revert: https://catholic-revert.com Terry's book, Bring Me Back Lord: https://www.amazon.com/BRING-BACK-LORD-Terry-Quinn-ebook/dp/B0FPGFYF9M/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.r3wN3XnoY1MaqWDUbnKAiWPBqUEY23EIoDtdpF7Mr9iVwnDcileveaGp90-tyqJ2yJgH_7nLjKyZ2qJqMWjKK_YXwNEpsiyjAT1R5-F-NJw.ppeNuAXgjt4b2fFmRk5-DYRdE7Pk6Qk3A3cH-pskkwA&dib_tag=se&qid=1764594158&refinements=p_27%3ATerry+Quinn&s=books&sr=1-4 In this episode: - Terry's first encounter with Jesus in a Catholic charismatic prayer group - How his mother's “baptism in the Holy Spirit” changed their whole family - Why he left the Catholic Church for a Pentecostal congregation - Stories from 30 years of evangelization, street ministry, and church planting - The painful moment he walked away from the parish… and the simple prayer: “Lord, bring me back” - How Scott Hahn, Catholic apologetics, and the early Church Fathers helped rebuild his faith - What he found when he returned to the Church after three decades - Why he believes many parishes lack “CPD” (continuous professional development) for clergy - The challenge of running sacramental life AND going on mission as a Catholic parish - Why evangelization must focus on the truly lost and broken—not just the already-churched ___ You can also listen to the podcast weekly on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Listen on Spotify ⇥ https://spoti.fi/3PYXGa6 Listen on Apple ⇥ https://apple.co/3vjltcS Subscribe on YouTube ⇥ @huntleyleadership ___ Work with Huntley Leadership! Contact us to inquire about coaching or speaking ⇥ https://www.huntleyleadership.com/contact-us Visit our course website ⇥ https://courses.huntleyleadership.com ___ Connect with Huntley Leadership! Connect on LinkedIn ⇥ / huntleyleadership Follow on Twitter ⇥ / ron_huntley Follow on Instagram ⇥ / huntleyleadership Follow on Facebook ⇥ / huntleyleadership Subscribe to our YouTube channel ⇥ @huntleyleadership ___ QUESTION: What kinds of videos and podcasts would you like to see from us?
In this mini episode of the Living Well podcast, host Liv Hill shares a crucial tip for navigating the busy month of December. She emphasizes the importance of physically printing a December calendar and writing down all events and obligations to gain clarity and reduce overwhelm. Liv explains how this practice can help individuals identify opportunities for progress towards their goals amidst the holiday chaos. Additionally, she announces a giveaway for a Winter Wellness Guide to encourage listeners to share the podcast.
Pastor David Larmourfalse00:48:40611Fear-less This Christmas Part 1: Hoping Our Way Through Fearfull
“The Man on the Middle Cross said I could come.”Those were the words of a dying thief next to Jesus—no résumé, no religion, no good works… just grace. In this message, Pastor Justin unpacks the powerful moment in Luke 23 where two criminals hang beside Jesus, yet only one sees Him for who He truly […]
The Greatest Question 11-30-25 Pastor Joe Myers
At the heart of this message lies a profound invitation to step into the realm of the supernatural through faith and trust in God. Drawing from John 14:1, we're reminded that in our Father's house there are many roomsmore blessings, more miracles, more provision than we've yet discovered. The central theme challenges us to move beyond anxiety and fear, especially in an era saturated with troubling news and pessimistic forecasts, and instead embrace a posture of expectant faith. We're called to believe that God wants to visit us with healings, miracles, and unexplainable breakthroughs that can only be attributed to His power. The message weaves together powerful testimonies of supernatural healingfrom cancer disappearing to AIDS being cured through water baptismdemonstrating that the same God who performed miracles decades ago is still moving today. What makes this particularly relevant is the acknowledgment that miracles often come after difficult reports: the diagnosis precedes the healing, the struggle precedes the victory. We're encouraged to stop letting podcasters, news cycles, and cultural prophets of doom diminish our faith, and instead return to the simplicity of prayer and Scripture. The call is clear: make room for the supernatural in our everyday lives, believe that nothing is too hard for God, and watch as He transforms impossibilities into testimonies that leave even skeptics saying, 'It had to be God.'
John and Caleb explore the complex story of Pentecostalism—its roots, its divisions, and its evolution from the Azusa Street revival to today's movements. Caleb shares his experiences growing up in the United Pentecostal Church and contrasts moderate and extremist versions of holiness culture. John connects the dots between early Branhamism, Roy Davis, and Pentecostal sect formation, while exposing historical cover-ups like the Prescott tragedy. Together, they discuss race in early Pentecostalism, the Assemblies of God's segregation, the impact of figures like Jim Jones and Gordon Lindsay, and how prophetic showmanship corrupted genuine faith. They also debate whether true healings occurred in Branham's campaigns and how faith, culture, and control have shaped modern Pentecostal identity. ______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
In this episode of the Living Well podcast, host Liv Hill and mental health coordinator Tommy discuss the intersection of holiday stressors, mental health, and nutrition. They explore the pressures that parents, especially mothers, face during the holiday season, including societal expectations and the impact of social media. Tommy shares insights on coping strategies and the importance of small changes in managing stress and improving mental health. The conversation emphasizes the need for self-compassion and the value of creating meaningful memories over perfection during the holidays. In this conversation, Liv and Tommy explore the intersection of mental health, nutrition, and faith, emphasizing the importance of self-care and positive self-dialogue. They discuss practical tools for managing stress, the significance of hydration, and the benefits of combining mental health support with nutritional coaching. The conversation also highlights the need for self-love and the value of seeking help, especially during the holiday season.
John and Christian dive into the State of Theology 2025 survey and uncover surprising contradictions in what American Christians believe about God, the Bible, and salvation. From the question "Is Jesus God?" to debates about sin, gender, and truth itself, the results expose a growing divide between biblical foundations and cultural Christianity. John reflects on how Pentecostal and Charismatic teachings have reshaped people's view of God, while Christian connects the trends to the loss of a biblical worldview and the rise of subjective truth. Together, they discuss how theology has shifted from reverence to relativism—and what it means for the future of faith.______________________State of Theology:https://thestateoftheology.com______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
Terry and Renee grew up in the Assemblies of God, and avoided some anti-Catholic prejudices because of the Catholics they met in charismatic ecumenical gatherings. Terry went into medicine, and in his 40's, he and his wife felt a call to become overseas medical missionaries. After years of service, Renee's illness led them to have to come back to the states, where Terry began working in a Catholic hospital. The relationships they developed through that experience helped lead them slowly and surely into the Catholic Church.
John and Chino dive deep into one of the most confusing and destructive doctrines taught within Branhamism and Faith Assembly: eternal security—or, as many lived it, eternal insecurity. They unpack how William Branham and Hobart Freeman twisted the gospel of grace into a doctrine of fear, confusion, and control. Drawing from firsthand experiences, personal stories, and archived recordings, the hosts reveal how both leaders contradicted themselves, manipulated scripture, and redefined salvation to keep followers dependent on their authority. Together they examine how Branham’s shifting messages on salvation, election, and damnation evolved through the Pentecostal, Latter Rain, and Charismatic movements, shaping Freeman’s authoritarian theology. Chino shares insights into the psychology of cult obedience, while John traces how Branham’s legacy of doctrinal chaos still influences modern fringe movements. This episode challenges listeners to discern between faith rooted in Christ and fear imposed by cult leaders. ______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________– Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham – Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
• Protestant missionary movements • The 20th century: Challenges of modernity • The impact of Methodism • The Pentecostals and the Charismatic movement • Parachurch organizations • Ecumenical movement • Churches and denominations • Reflections on the history of the Church • Append: Catholics, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses What led to the many divisions in Christianity? Listen to this message to hear about the four Great Awakenings led by men such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. See that Charles Finney taught a number of false doctrines that led to events such as the Civil War. This was followed by broad movements such as the Holiness and Pentecostal movements. As a believer it is important that you are aware Satan is always trying to cause doubts about the authority of Scripture. Every believer needs to evaluate what they hear to see if it agrees with Scripture.
Can Christians decree and declare blessings? On this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard responds to a question from a listener in Australia about the practice of “decreeing and declaring,” the belief that Christians can speak health, wealth, or other blessings into existence through the creative power of their words.Dr. Bernard explores whether Scripture supports the idea that believers can “decree and declare” realities into being, offering a clear and biblically grounded perspective on faith, prayer, and God's sovereignty.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
Tired of seeing the same titles on every "Best Of" list? In this third annual special episode, host Blaine DeSantis cuts through the noise to deliver his personal baker's dozen of the absolute best books he's read all year. If you're searching for the perfect present for the readers in your life, this list of Christmas book recommendations 2025 has something for everyone, from your spouse and parents to siblings and friends. Forget the popularity contests; these are 13 compulsively readable books, read cover-to-cover, that are guaranteed to surprise and delight.This is the ultimate Books and Looks podcast wish list, curated to solve the overwhelming problem of choosing from over a million books published each year. Blaine dives deep into his top picks across a wide range of genres, ensuring you'll find the perfect match for any taste. We start with some of the best nonfiction books 2025 has to offer, exploring pressing geopolitical issues in America in the Arctic by Mary Thompson-Jones and getting a stunning insider's view of modern Russia with Jill Doherty's My Russia. The episode then moves into a collection of unique memoir recommendations that celebrate the human spirit, from Marie Leautey's incredible story of running a marathon every single day in Leautey's World Run to John Seabrook's fascinating and complex family history in The Spinach King, the story of the family that made frozen lima beans a household staple. We also follow Graham Broyd's journey in Backpack, Jacket, Surfboard, as he retraces his 1980 hitchhiking trip across America.The list continues with incredible historical fiction and mystery books, including Sarah Dunant's masterful novel The Marquesa, which brings to life the first woman of the Italian Renaissance, Isabella d'Este. Blaine also highlights captivating biographies, such as Sister Aimee, Claire Hoffman's look at the spectacular rise and fall of Pentecostal preacher Aimee Semple McPherson, and Jan Gradvall's The Story of ABBA, offering an exclusive look into the lives of the iconic supergroup. We explore captivating nonfiction, from the surprisingly fascinating story of a despised bird in Starlings by Mike Stark to disappearing global traditions in Eliot Stein's Custodians of Wonder. David Krell's Do You Believe in Magic? provides a vibrant snapshot of America during the disco era of 1978. Finally, for those who love a good page-turner, Blaine recommends two compulsively readable mysteries: Danger, No Problem by Cindy F. Fariña, a thriller featuring a Filipino-American bounty hunter, and Ivory Bones by Sara Winokur, which centers on the mysterious and valuable Lewis Chessmen. These Christmas book recommendations 2025 are the best of the best from a year of reading.
God isn't obsessed with numbers — He's obsessed with names.In Numbers 1, God asks Moses to count the people, not because He needs data… but because every number represents a person He delivered, loved, and called by name. In this message we unpack why God counts, what the numbers actually tell us, and why whatever […]
Pastor David Wellsfalse00:35:53601A Great Lifefull
My Story Talk 32 Life after Mattersey (2) Welcome to Talk 32 in our series where I'm reflecting on God's goodness to me throughout my life. Last time I was telling you how the Lord opened up a wider ministry for me after we left Mattersey and we concentrated on Countries in Europe. Today it will be Africa and Reunion Island. African Countries I have already mentioned my first trip to Africa which was to Burkina Faso in the year 2000 while we were still at Mattersey. The next trip was to South Africa in 2004, just after leaving Mattersey, which I have also mentioned already. The African countries I visited after Mattersey were Ethiopia (five times between 05 and 09), and Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa again, making a total of ten trips overall, half of which were to Ethiopia.. I visited Ghana in 2007 at the invitation of Paul Frimpong Manso, then the Superintendent of the Ashanti Region and later to become the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God in Ghana. Paul had been a student at Mattersey in the nineties, being one of the first to earn our newly validated BA degree and had later returned to take our MA too. The purpose of my visit was primarily to speak at their pastors' conference and preach at their ordination service for new ministers. I was treated like royalty despite the fact that they were all smartly dressed in suits and ties – and some even with clerical collars – while I wore a short sleeved open-necked shirt, a special concession granted to me as someone unaccustomed to the temperature which, although it was only January, was far too high for my liking – a problem I was to face later in India in 2010. It was a privilege to see the great work that Paul was doing and to know that he valued highly the teaching he had received at Mattersey. One of the things he had said to his fellow-students about my teaching on the Holy Spirit was that in Ghana they not only believed the things I taught but that they also put them into practice! Miracles seem to happen more often in Africa than they do in Europe, but often there is a lack of sound biblical teaching to go with them. The truth is, we need both. And a major part of my ministry has been to emphasise this. My visit to Nigeria in 08 was unique in that the invitation did not come from any of the usual sources. Barrie Taylor is my daughter Sarah's father-in-law and has exercised an ongoing ministry for many years visiting Nigeria and by regular visits has developed a strong relationship with some of the churches there. As a result they respectfully refer to him as Uncle Barrie. Barrie invited me to accompany him on one of these trips and I was delighted to do so. We flew to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, and were met by pastors John Sarota and Vitalis Yahemba, the CEO of Truth and Life Ministry. We travelled by car to Kaduna a journey of some 200 kilometres to the north of Abuja and stayed at the Catholic Social Centre sleeping in relatively comfortable rooms. But I confess I was disturbed at times by the high-pitched buzz an occasional mosquito flapping its wings at 250 times a second and by the fear that one might find its way under the mosquito net. Another disturbance early each morning was the sound of the muezzin calling from the minaret of a local mosque reminding faithful Muslims to pray. Kaduna lies very close to the northern area of Nigeria which is predominantly Muslim and where so many Christians have lost their lives for their faith. Despite the ever-present Muslim threat, Christians from the area gathered in large numbers, evidenced by the fact that while we were there the total attendance was around 2,500, meetings being held at Talmo College in a hall holding about 800 and the messages relayed to four marquees and translated into four different tribal languages. We both felt that the trip had been well worthwhile and I was particularly grateful for the opportunity to get to know Barrie better and to discover how much we both had in common. I went to South Africa again in November 2009 at the request of Paul Alexander to teach at the Africa School of Missions which he had founded some time previously. I enjoyed teaching the small class of students and the fellowship at mealtimes with staff members too. However, there were long periods each day when I had little to do and, apart from a quick visit to the Kruger National Park, which I had visited with Eileen in 04, I needed to find something to do to occupy my time. So I decided the start writing a new book. For some time I had been feeling that I should write something that would be useful as a tool in evangelism, and this was confirmed by something Brian Niblock said to me when he was preaching in our church in Brixham. And that's how I came to write my little book, Signs from Heaven – why I believe. To my surprise, the whole thing was finished by the time I left South Africa. But perhaps the most significant moment about the whole trip was what happened on the flight home. I checked in online at the earliest possible moment and was able to get a seat at the front of economy where there was the most legroom. But after boarding the plane I was soon asked by a flight attendant if I would vacate my seat as someone had been taken ill and needed easy access to a seat on that row. So I ended up sitting in a different seat, but on the same row and, as it turned out, right next to the man who was unwell. He was accompanied by his wife who explained to me that only a few days earlier they had flown to South Africa for a holiday but on arrival her husband had been rushed to hospital. His condition, the details of which I forget, was quite rare, totally unexpected, potentially fatal, and required specialist treatment. They were returning to England in a state of shock and understandably very worried. They asked me what I had been doing in South Africa, and I said that among other things I had been writing a book about miracles. I said something like, It sounds like you need a miracle right now. It turned out that they were Catholics and, though they hadn't been to church for a long time, certainly did believe in miracles. I shared the gospel with them, prayed for them, gave them a copy of my book on healing, and posted them Signs from Heaven as soon as it was published. Years later she told me that her husband, who had made an unexpectedly quick recovery, had now died, but that that encounter on the plane had restored their faith in the Lord Jesus. My first trip to Ethiopia was in January 2005 at the invitation of Heikki Pentinnen, a Finnish missionary who was organising an international charismatic conference in Addis Ababa and looking for a main speaker to take several sessions on the gifts of the Spirit. He had heard about me from Arto Hamalainan who knew me well through our work on the PEF presidium. Hundreds of leaders, including those from Orthodox and Coptic churches, gathered from across Ethiopia for this unique occasion and I was thrilled to see their desire to get a biblical grasp on the work of the Spirit. I made annual visits for the next four years (2006-09) teaching for one or two weeks in a Bible College in Addis at the invitation of Canadian missionaries Jeremy and Teresa Feller with whom I usually stayed. Jeremy and Teresa's parents, Brian and Valerie Rutten, had all come to Mattersey to take our MA in Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies and were keen to have me come and teach in the college where they were serving with PAOC (Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada). On at least two of these occasions, I was accompanied by Eileen who loved the country and its wonderful people. Apart from the teaching in the college we were taken on lengthy trips to parts of the country which were far hotter than Addis where the climate is more acceptable because of its high altitude. One such trip in February 07 was to Awassa some 290 kilometres to the south. Eileen's journal captures the memory very well: Lush vegetation, bananas, sugar cane. Beautiful. Lakes, mountains, animals, people, donkey carts. Small groups of huts. Camels, ostrich, hyena. A dead animal being eaten by a vulture and a dog watching and waiting, Young children herding animals, carrying heavy loads, water, bundles of leaves, sticks. The Pentecostal Church in Awassa where I preached on the Sunday was one of the largest in Ethiopia. 2000 people gather at 6.00 every morning to pray. There were 6000 in the 9am service. They have six branch churches with a total membership of 12,000. God is doing amazing things in Ethiopia and I'm so grateful to have had the privilege of teaching and preaching there over those few years. And I'm grateful, too, that we were able to fund the translation into Amharic of Body Builders, my book on spiritual gifts. Despite the massive growth of the church, Ethiopian church leaders recognise their need of sound biblical teaching and if I have made at least a small contribution to that, the Lord be praised. Ile de la Réunion (Reunion Island) Located in the Indian Ocean between Africa and India, the Ile de la Réunion is an overseas French territory. I have already mentioned in an earlier chapter how in 2004 I was the main speaker at the French National Pastors' Conference in Bordeaux. It was there that I met David Cizéron who told me about his father's work in Réunion and gave me a book about him. Aimé Cizeron was now with the Lord, but I was fascinated with the account of his apostolic ministry as a result of which some 40 churches had been planted all over the island. So I was pleasantly surprised a year later to receive an invitation to be a guest speaker at the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the founding of ADD in Réunion in 2006. They were happy to pay the airfares for both Eileen and me and, as I learnt later, as a tropical island Réunion is a much sought after holiday destination particularly for the French. But we had accepted the invitation well before we knew all this because I was determined to visit the place where 5000 people were gathering within four weeks of the start of Cizéron's ministry as a result of the miracles of healing that were taking place. So in April 06 we flew to Réunion via Paris, landing at the Roland Garros airport to be greeted by a TV crew asking how we were expecting the eight days of meeting to go. I was very tired after what had been an extremely long journey, made worse by an eleven hour delay in Paris, and simply replied, I believe the Lord will bless us greatly, which he certainly did. But that did not mean that everything would go smoothly. The very next day, our hosts, Patrick and Joanna, were showing us round a market in Saint Denis when they met a friend and introduced us to her. She then said something very strange: You are not afraid of the Chikungunya? Now there were some live chickens for sale in the market and, not knowing what Chikungunya was, I thought it must be something to do with chickens. But no. Chikungunya is a highly infectious disease borne by mosquitoes and potentially fatal! The entire island was affected by it and we had not noticed the warnings about it when we arrived at the airport. We found out later that Tom Trask, American AoG General Superintendent and guest speaker at the conference, had been warned about it in advance, but somehow no one had thought to tell us. But despite all that, we had a great eight days of meetings and the Lord not only preserved us from the chikungunya but greatly blessed all the meetings and ministry. So much so that we were invited back the following year for a longer visit where I conducted seminars for the pastors on spiritual gifts, preached in two evangelistic meetings, and took a series of Bible studies from Monday to Friday in the church in Saint Denis. The people were really hungry for the Word of God. In each evangelistic meeting over 200 people came forward in response to the gospel appeal, and there were over 700 each night for each of the Bible studies. My subject, as usual, was spiritual gifts, but I shall never forget the remarkable way some one came to Christ at the close of one of those meetings. But first I need to tell you about Véronique. Véronique was a kind lady who took us to explore various parts of the island during the daytime when there were no meetings until the evening. Réunion is a volcanic island and one such trip involved driving to the top of the volcano and then walking down into its crater. This was apparently quite safe even though the volcano erupted quite frequently and the steam was still rising from the lava months after the last eruption. One of the days we were there was a public holiday and Véronique had taken her children to the beach. While she was there she told a friend about the meetings and persuaded her to come. She came to the meeting and was so overwhelmed by the worship that she felt she had to leave. But when she was about ten minutes away from the church she suddenly heard the music from the church coming through her mobile phone. No one had called her and, unable to think of any natural explanation, she felt compelled to return to the meeting. She sat through it in tears and at the end, although I had not made a gospel appeal, came forward and asked how she could be saved. It was such a joy to be able to lead her to the Lord and to learn later that she was regularly attending her local ADD church. So the Lord was using us and blessing us in so many different ways and I look back on those years with great gratitude to God. Next time I'll be talking about our trip to India in 2010 when I began to experience very real health challenges for the first time in my life.
This powerful message centers on the transformative power of persistent, insistent faiththe kind that refuses to give up even when circumstances seem impossible. Drawing from Luke 18's parable of the persistent widow, we're challenged to move beyond casual, comfortable Christianity into a realm of breakthrough that belongs only to those who consistently knock on heaven's door. The widow's relentless pursuit of justice from an unjust judge becomes our model: if even an uncaring human eventually responds to persistence, how much more will our loving Father respond to our continual prayers? We're invited to examine whether we've stopped praying about things simply because we haven't seen immediate results, and to recognize that consistencyin prayer, in faith, in giving, in expectationis the key that unlocks miraculous provision. The message reminds us that insistent faith isn't begging God; it's reminding ourselves of His covenant promises and proving to ourselves that we truly want what we're asking for. When we show up week after week, when we give even in famine seasons like Isaac did, when we reach for our miracle like the woman with the issue of blood, we're not wearing God outwe're demonstrating the kind of shameless persistence that moves heaven on our behalf.
Brian D. Smith Talks About Going from Grief to Growth Our guest today is Brian D. Smith, and he is with us for the third time. Brian has long been a spiritual seeker. He started out in the Pentecostal religious tradition, and later became part of an evangelical community. After that, he became a Christian Universalist. Then later on, he studied Buddhism and various mystical traditions. As a young man, Brian says that he was pretty deeply scarred by toxic religion, which, among other things, instilled in him an intense fear of death; but further study helped him to alleviate a lot of that fear. So Brian was living a beautiful life, with his lovely wife of now more than thirty years and his two young daughters. But then in June of 2015, his younger daughter, Shayna, unexpectedly transitioned in her sleep. She was not yet 16 years old. After Shayna's transition, Brian tells us that his spiritual quest intensified because of some extraordinary visions and messages that he was receiving from his daughter. As a result of those experiences, he immersed himself in researching the afterlife, taking a scientific as well as a spiritual and philosophical approach to it. He says that now he felt that he really needed to know, and not just believe, what was true about death and the afterlife. And he learned so much that he ended up writing a book. It's entitled, Grief 2 Growth; Planted. Not Buried. Brian D. Smith is also now a successful podcaster and blogger, and he shares all that he has learned as a teacher and grief counselor within the wonderful organization, Helping Parents Heal. His website is grief2growth.com Learn more about Roberta here: http://robertagrimes.com https://seekreality.com/
In this episode of the Living Well podcast, host Liv Hill discusses practical strategies for navigating Thanksgiving with confidence and mindfulness. She emphasizes the importance of mindset, meal prep, and having a game plan for both the holiday and the days that follow. Liv provides actionable tips for managing leftovers, resetting after the holiday, and maintaining a healthy relationship with food during this festive season. The conversation encourages listeners to focus on their goals and how they want to feel after Thanksgiving, rather than simply surviving the holiday.
Send us a textRHOSLC Teased Roots and Shaky RelationshipsPodcast Summary RHOSLC Season 6 Episode 10 The Bigger the Hair the Closer to GodIn this episode, Whitney organizes a surprise “High Body Count” hair party in honor of Britani, turning a controversial nickname into a celebratory moment. The women tease up their hair for her, and a somewhat playful, emotional tone takes over as they share kind words. But the festivity gets complicated when Jared confronts Britani about rumors he heard during their break, questioning her stability and commitment — a deeply hurtful moment for her.Meanwhile, Bronwyn is grappling with marital issues, revealing that she's removed her wedding ring and is reconsidering her relationship with Todd after seeing signs of distance and disconnection. She admits feeling insecure, especially after tweets and reports implied infidelity, and wonders if they need a formal agreement to move forward. In another corner, Lisa and her husband John have a tense discussion about their communication breakdown; Lisa expresses feeling invisible in their relationship, while John feels she doesn't truly listen.On the spiritual front, Mary Cosby reopens her newly renovated church and invites the group as a gesture of unity and healing. She gives a heartfelt sermon, calling on the women to reflect, make amends, and lean on faith in this tumultuous season. Her sermon resonates with several cast members, offering a moment of peace, but it also underscores how much work remains in repairing broken relationships and finding genuine connection. TakeawaysMary's son is facing serious struggles that affect the family.The potluck was a heartfelt surprise for Brittany.Mary's honesty stands out among the group dynamics.Meredith's eavesdropping incident raises questions about loyalty.Bronwyn and Todd's relationship is filled with confusion and drama.Real conversations about relationships are highlighted in this episode.Mary's church renovation reflects her family's history and struggles.Lisa and John's parenting styles clash, revealing deeper issues.Brittany and Jared's relationship feels performative and cringy.The Pentecostal church experience is lively and expressive.Support the showhttps://www.wewinewhenever.com/
Send us a textWhat happens when two Christians from different theological backgrounds sit down to discuss the topics most churches avoid? In this engaging conversation, Cass welcomes Matt from Post-PostModern Theology for a deep dive into philosophy, apologetics, and the cultural forces shaping modern Christianity.Matt shares his journey from skeptical Greek Orthodox roots to apologetics, explaining how postmodernism has become the "cannibalistic" worldview eating itself alive—from transgender ideology contradicting feminism to Richard Dawkins becoming a "cultural Christian." But the conversation goes beyond cultural critique. Discover why Christians struggle to share their faith (hint: it's about counting the cost), how to have controversial conversations with grace, and why every single person—atheist or believer—lives by faith. Matt breaks down complex philosophical concepts like epistemology and presuppositional apologetics into practical wisdom for defending your beliefs.The discussion takes controversial turns: Is Christian Zionism hurting the church? What did Jesus really mean in the Olivet Discourse? Why isn't communion mentioned in John's Last Supper account? Should Christians observe the Sabbath?Throughout, both hosts model what they preach: respectful disagreement, intellectual humility, and a commitment to testing everything against Scripture. Whether you're reformed, Pentecostal, or somewhere in between, this conversation will challenge you to examine what you believe and why.Key Topics:Postmodernism's impact on church and cultureApologetics methods (evidential vs presuppositional)Israel, eschatology, and end times theologyThe problem of Christian echo chambersWhy the laws of logic prove immaterial reality existsCommunion, Sabbath, and denominational differencesPerfect for: Christians seeking intellectual depth, anyone interested in apologetics, and believers ready to step outside their theological comfort zone.Follow @hertheology on Instagram & YouTube. Head to hertheology.com to find out more.
How can we tell when God is truly speaking to us—and when it's merely our own thoughts? In this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard answers a listener's question about discerning the voice of God and understanding His will. Drawing from Scripture and decades of ministry experience, Dr. Bernard offers practical guidance that can help any believer grow in spiritual sensitivity and confidently follow God's direction.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
John and Jed explore one of the most sensitive and emotionally charged topics in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles—the world of fake miracles, resurrection claims, and manufactured hype. Starting with Bethel Church's "Wake Up Olive" tragedy, they trace the long lineage of miracle stories from Smith Wigglesworth through William Branham to today's New Apostolic Reformation leaders. Their discussion examines how sensationalized testimonies shape belief, manipulate emotions, and reinforce authoritarian control within high-demand religious groups.Through deeply personal stories, including experiences from within Branhamism and IHOP, they unpack how false faith-healing narratives prey on trauma, obscure genuine spirituality, and keep followers trapped in fear of doubt. This conversation dives into the emotional cost of such beliefs—the shame, confusion, and psychological damage caused when "miracles" fail—and the deeper truth about where real faith should be placed.______________________Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR:Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________- Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org
Bunnie Xo sits down with Pastor Kimberly Jones for a powerful conversation about faith, redemption, and breaking generational patterns. Kimberly opens up about growing up in a strict Pentecostal home, the religious trauma she carried, and the years she spent running from the church. She shares her battle with addiction, her experience navigating multiple marriages, and the rock-bottom moments that ultimately led to her transformation.Kim reflects on the unlikely journey from a party girl who rejected religion to a pastor inspired by Rod Parsley's ministry. She talks about the criticism she's faced from the church, the role her father played in supporting her recovery, and how her early motivational videos paved the way for her platform today. Kimberly also gets candid about marrying a man she met on Facebook who later betrayed her, and how that heartbreak fueled her growth.Throughout the episode, she highlights the themes central to her ministry—self-love, forgiveness, resilience, and authenticity—and shares how her church has evolved along with her. Kimberly also discusses the books she's written to help others embrace transformation and healing.Pastor Kim- Website | YouTube | IGWatch Full Episodes & More:YouTubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ever feel like you're just going through the motions — driving through life on autopilot? In Part 7 of our Numbers series, Pastor Justin reminds us that God doesn't want us coasting — He wants us remembering. Because when we remember what He's done, we find faith for where we are and hope for what's […]
Life has a way of moving in seasons rather than just days and months. Sometimes we find ourselves on the mountaintop, and other times we're deep in the valley, wrapped in what feels like a straitjacket of doubt and discouragement. But Romans 15:13 offers us a powerful promise: the God of hope can fill us with complete happiness and peace through our faith, and the Holy Spirit can cause us to overflow with hope. This isn't wishful thinking or blind optimism. The Greek word for hope here means 'expectation of what is sure.' We're not hoping for a maybe; we're expecting something certain. God doesn't peddle false hope or shallow encouragement. He offers real, tangible hope that we can build our lives upon. The key is understanding that faith is the currency that moves God's economy. It's not our need that necessarily moves God, but our trust in Him. When we give Him our discouragement, He offers overflowing joy. When we give Him our fear, He gives confidence. When we give Him our brokenness, He gives healing. This is a lopsided exchange where we always win. We don't have to stay stuck in despair. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can experience levels of hope and joy that transcend our human ability to manufacture them. The question is: will we trust Him enough to receive it?
In this episode of the Living Well podcast, host Liv Hill leads a coaching roundtable with several coaches discussing various health and wellness topics. They address how to maintain health when a spouse isn't supportive, the challenges of menopause, the importance of mindset in overcoming obstacles, and strategies for dealing with setbacks in health journeys. The conversation emphasizes the significance of leading by example, finding joy in personal health journeys, and the necessity of strength training and nutrition, especially during menopause. In this episode, the hosts discuss the importance of adjusting one's approach to fitness and nutrition in the face of setbacks, emphasizing the emotional aspects of health journeys. They explore the fluid nature of macronutrients and the pitfalls of influencer diets, advocating for personalized coaching. The conversation also highlights practical strategies for managing family meals without compromising individual health goals.
Join our Membership or Support our Channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1yEY95beOqcUz5TUqxqVgQ/joinIn this explosive episode, Dr. Jamal Bryant sits down with Elijah Connor — Detroit singer, reality-TV star for a raw conversation about the dark side of fame.Elijah opens up about leaving his Pentecostal roots, walking away from a 9-to-5 at Ford, and facing Sean “Diddy” Combs on national TV in the viral moment that made him a meme.He calls Diddy “the devil,” reveals shocking industry secrets from his upcoming book "Behind the Stare", and explains why keeping your soul intact in Hollywood is the hardest fight of all.#ElijahConnor #JamalBryantPodcast #LetsBeClearPodcast #Diddy #MusicIndustryExposed #DetroitArtists #ViralMoment #Controversy #EntertainmentNews #PurposeOverPopularityThe Jamal Bryant Podcast "Let's Be Clear" is a conversation that rips off the bandaid to serious relevant issues in the community and around the country. It assesses the wounds and offers prescriptions of insight, understanding and direction. No punches are pulled, but jabs are thrown to hit right between the eyes of every listener. New Episode Drops every Thursday at 12pm est. at jamalbryant.orgFollow or Subscribe on our socials ~https://www.facebook.com/jamalbryantpodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/jamalbryantpodcast/https://www.tiktok.com/@jamalbryantpodcast https://twitter.com/jamalbryantpod
Patrick spotlights issues from US-Israel relations, beginning with vintage Nixon audio, to the anguish of Nigerian Christians and the struggle for truth amid religious confusion. Listeners bring honest questions about doctrine, personal pain, and family battles; Patrick responds with stories, book suggestions, candid advice, and moments both sharp and compassionate. Surprises, raw emotion, and faith collide as Patrick talks history, prayer, and everyday dilemmas. Audio: Nixon - American interests vs. Israeli interests – https://x.com/nixonfoundation/status/1935396379607838946?s=46&t=m_l2itwnFvka2DG8_72nHQ (19:00) Manuel - Thank you for pointing out the genocide in Nigeria. My priest is Nigerian. (02:21) Melanie - I was raised Pentecostal. Did you say that Pentecostals don't believe in the Trinity? (05:28) Mike - Were Mary and Joseph Palestinian? (10:13) Marlene - How can I get my family who attend SSPX to come into the Diocese? (14:34) Marie - I agree when it comes to homosexual relationships. Is this the same when it comes to other sinful situations? I want to demonstrate chastity to my kids, but my dad is not a good example. (18:24) Bill – You are a blessing to have on the radio (35:18) Bradley - Did the Vatican create a Muslim prayer room with prayer rugs in it? (40:02)
"Faith isn't a switch you flip or a muscle you flex. It's like gravity ...when it's there, you feel it pulling you, and when it's gone, there's no pretending it's still there." Colten Joel Thane BarnabyThis Earth Xperience explores belief, love, and what it means to evolve beyond what you were taught without losing your desire to understand. Colten Joel Thane Barnaby, a former Pentecostal raised in a multigenerational family of pastors, shares his journey from childhood faith to questioning every structure that shaped him. Once a Bible scholar and seminary student, Colten now identifies as an agnostic atheist with an open curiosity toward truth, consciousness, and human connection.Together we explore what happens when the search for truth outgrows certainty. Colten recalls his early experiences speaking in tongues at five years old, his family's deep church legacy, and the moment he realized that understanding mattered more than agreement. The conversation moves from deconstructing faith to redefining love through personal experience and philosophy, weaving insights from thinkers like Bell Hooks and Scott Peck.Colten's reflections extend beyond religion into what it means to live and love consciously. He describes marriage as both fragile and sacred, not because it is unbreakable but because it requires constant care. He challenges capitalist and individualistic systems that isolate people from community and argues that true humanity depends on interdependence, not independence.Each Earth Xperience has its own fingerprint, shaped by the story of the guest. The X represents anything you choose to explore, express, or expand. In this episode, the X is an Experience with Colten Joel Thane Barnaby, a writer, creator, and podcast host who explores belief systems, spirituality, and human connection through honest conversation. You can connect with him on Instagram and TikTok at @coltenbarnaby and watch his new podcast Ask the Next Question on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.Questions to reflect on:• What does faith mean to you when it's no longer tied to certainty?• How much of your belief system was inherited versus chosen?• Can love exist without belief in God?• When you let go of a framework, what do you hold onto instead?• What happens when truth and comfort no longer align?• How can questioning become a form of worship?• What makes a human if not what we believe, but how we connect?
When we hear the term spiritual gifts, most Christians see it as this mystical, almost magical work of God that comes over you, and all of a sudden, you can speak in tongues or heal people, but is that how the Bible describes spiritual gifts in practice?The Pentecostal movement has, in many ways, driven the conversation about spiritual gifts and the way that we use language to discuss them. Even many Reformed Christians have been affected by their teaching and often describe the work of the Holy Spirit through gifts as something so miraculous and supernatural that their operation must be opposed to ordinary means. But Paul, who is the apostle that teaches the most about spiritual gifts, doesn't treat them that way. In Romans 1, he plainly talks about imparting spiritual gifts to the church in Rome and in Corinthians and Timothy, he talks about spiritual gifts as if they can be practiced and built up in a way that suggests that they are not as “magical” as the Pentecostals would have us think. So here's the question: If spiritual gifts are not opposed to ordinary means, how should we think of spiritual gifts and their use in the church?Timecodes00:00:00 Intro00:01:01 Miracle of God's grace00:06:21 Healing is a grace of God00:14:57 Diversity of gifts00:20:28 Gift of language a grace00:28:59 Gifts that are hard to see as pure miraculous manifestations00:42:26 Given at times to unbelievers00:52:06 Given to all believersProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
Will the wicked dead suffer eternally in Hell or will they be annihilated and cease to exist? Dr. David K. Bernard looks to Scripture to settle this longstanding debate about the afterlife and the eternal fate of unrepentant sinners on this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
Ever felt like life handed you something you didn't order? Like you're wandering, wasting time, or getting hit with things that were never supposed to touch your life?In this message from our Book of Numbers series, Pastor Justin unpacks one of the wildest moments in Scripture — when a sorcerer hired to curse God's people […]
Christian nationalism, hypocrisy, and pepper-sprayed pastors—oh my! Frank and Dan start in Oklahoma, where LGBTQ+ kids are literally breathing easier now that hateful school superintendent Ryan Walters is gone. Then it's on to a Pentecostal whistleblower who got fired for exposing his bishop's embezzlement, Trump's latest delusional threat to invade Nigeria, and Texas judges who just got the green light to refuse gay weddings. We also check in on America's most eyeliner-forward vice-president, J.D. Vance, and learn how Florida's school-voucher crusade is accidentally funding Muslim schools (cue the outrage!). Finally, Frank and Dan dig into an unexpected question: why do clergy still carry moral weight in public protests—and could atheists ever have an equivalent? Support us on Patreon! www.patreon.com/tgiatheist
DescriptionPastor Wayman Mitchell calls believers back to the Pentecostal power that transforms lives and sends churches. The kingdom advances in three concentric circles:Personal — Obey your God-appointed “sphere.” Transformation beats information.Church — Discipleship and church planting over megachurch optics. Unity multiplies impact.Fellowship / Nations — “Regions beyond” still wait. Obedience enlarges faith.Highlights include the “confessing 2,000” anecdote, synergy in small churches that plant, Abraham's costly obedience, a 66-year-old pioneer's letter from Nepal with healings, and a stirring call to plant churches now.Key Scriptures: 2 Cor 10; Eph 1:17; 2 Pet 3:18; 1 Cor 14; Eph 3:20; Zech 4:10; Ps 133.Chapters00:00 — Wayman Wednesday intro00:38 — Theme: “Extending the Kingdom” (2 Corinthians 10)01:40 — Pentecostal identity and dependence on the Spirit03:55 — Information vs transformation05:35 — Your “sphere” and personal obedience07:35 — Grow in grace and spiritual gifts09:30 — Power working in you beyond limitations10:40 — Church dimension vs megachurch mentality11:35 — The “confessing 2,000” story13:25 — Synergism: enlarged by each other15:05 — Despising the day of small things16:35 — Impact teams and unity that brings blessing18:45 — Together we make a big footprint19:20 — Fellowship dimension: regions beyond20:05 — Abraham leaves to gain what he never had21:20 — Lost years when family outranks calling22:20 — “If we don't plant, we failed conference”22:50 — “Too old to pioneer?” Nepal letter and miracles25:55 — Decisions shape destiny26:55 — Paul's missionary road and regions beyond28:10 — The people who are waiting30:15 — China and India: massive harvest fields31:05 — Enlarged when your faith obeys32:35 — China cities list and open doors34:20 — Call to obey: extend the kingdomShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at: • Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3vy1s5b • Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369v
Who is authorized to perform Christian baptisms? While the New Testament clearly emphasizes baptism in Jesus' name for salvation, it does not directly state which members of the church are qualified to perform them. In this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard offers both biblical and practical guidance on this question.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
The Gospels include many accounts of Jesus casting out devils. In Mark 16:17 (NKJV), Jesus told His disciples that "those who believe" will "cast out demons." In this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard compares cases of demon possession in North America with accounts from the New Testament and modern reports from other parts of the globe.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.