History and Development “ I am a child of God and therefore I do not inherit sickness.” (1) These words, spoken by Dr. E.B. Weeks, a former follower of Mary Baker Eddy and representative of the Illinois Metaphysical College were the original inspiration for the movement that would become known as Unity School of Christianity […]
The Apostolic and Prophetic Movement
“ I heard what I call the internal audible voice of the Lord…It was as clear as crystal. I heard the actual words. There was no guess-work. It was not impressions. It was the word of the Lord came to me. And the Lord said this, ‘I am going to change the understanding and expression […]
Marks of Abusive Religious Groups
Often in cult ministry we focus on groups that deny central aspects of the Christian faith such as the Trinity, deity of Christ, salvation by grace etc. Many Christians believe that if they simply look at a doctrinal statement, they will be able to spot potentially harmful organizations. Such may not be the case. There […]
Wicca: The New, Old Religion
The religion of Witchcraft is known by many names, Wicca, Paganism, Neo-paganism, the Old Religion and the Craft. Some practitioners insist that there are distinct differences between Wiccans, Pagans and Neo-pagans. However, there is little agreement on exactly what these differences are and almost all authors admit that there is a great deal of similarity […]
Gwen Shamblin Weighed in the Balance
Popular Weigh Down Workshop founder, Gwen Shamblin has moved rapidly down the road toward cultism. Mrs. Shamblin has now publicly indicated that she denies the trinity and calls all other churches “false,” “worthless” and “an abomination,” especially those whose emphasis is a grace message. Gwen’s Weigh Down message, which always contained somewhat legalistic Lordship emphasis […]
Alternative Medicine and the Need for Discernment
By Dónal O’Mathúna, Ph.D. and Walt Larimore, M.D. {This article is adapted from material in our Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook, revised and expanded edition (Grand Rapids: Zondervan) to be released January 2007.} Alternative medicine remains very popular. Surveys have found that roughly one-third of adults in the United States use some form of complementary […]
Faith Healers or Fake Healers?
Among the celebrities in the Word Faith Movement, none is more well known than Benny Hinn. From his lavish life-style to his on-stage performances, Benny Hinn has become the modern stereotype of the faith healers, even providing at least partial inspiration for Steve Martin’s character in the movie Leap of Faith. Hinn claims that thousands […]
Dominion Theology
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. Romans 1:19 Apologetics and discernment ministries have a wide range of responsibilities. It is our aim to assist the church in equipping Christians to enter the marketplace of religious ideologies within our culture and present a credible case for the […]
Mormon Mitt Romney for President?
Note: This article was written 4 years ago when Mitt Romney ran against John McCain for the Republican candidacy but it still applies today. I have received a couple of questions and expressions of concern regarding the following article. I believe the article addresses these concerns. But allow me to add a couple of points […]