RE3: Rethink Renew Reconstruct

September Rapture speculation & predictions are back, adding to the confusion over eschatology. Some people are captivated, others avoid it - but most are just plain confused.Popular end times teaching - dispensational premillennialism, has led to an entire industry dependent on prophecy “experts”. But did the church always believe that the last days would look like the Left Behind movies? You might be surprised to learn that the church didn’t always view the end times the way so many do today. In this episode we’ll take a look at other popular, biblically orthodox views that might just help you see eschatology in a whole new light.

When leaving NAR/Charismatic movement , it can feel like starting over and can be difficult to know who to trust as it is. To make matters worse, some make it sound as if Arminians & Calvinists are not simply different theological perspectives - but not even real Christians, cutting you off from what could be a Bible teacher you can learn a lot from. Reformed Bible teachers like John MacArthur are the first experience with deeper Bible teaching for many believers, but misinformation about reformed theology and Calvinism can cause you to miss out on something much deeper than you’d ever find in the charismatic movement - causing you to lean into pop evangelicalism or worse - a different version of what we just got out of. But there’s no need to be afraid of reformed teaching, and contrary to some claims - Arminians & Calvinists are in fact brothers in Christ. They hold many things in common, including the gospel. So rather than choosing a side, those leaving the NAR should focus less on picking a team & just start learning and growing. We can show the world what unity in the body of Christ looks like if we turn the rhetoric down a few notches.

The charismatic movement is full of contradictions. Always looking for a “new thing” while at the same time seeking a repeat of the book of Acts. Calling those who criticize them Pharisees & “religious”, yet turning worship into a ritual. Just. Plain. Broken. The confusion appears to come from a total misunderstanding of the reality of the new covenant & elements of the old. In essence forming a “charismatic covenant” of their own. This is why people leave the movement frustrated, disappointed & deconstructing in many cases. How can you miss something so obvious?

Are Generational curses biblical? The teaching is popular in deliverance teaching, and many charismatic ministries - leading many to blame the spiritual failings of their ancestors for their own current troubles. Like many false teachings, cherry picked scriptures out of context can make it seem as if almost any teaching is legit. But the “proof texts” that are often used to support “generational curses” aren’t what they seem once they’re read in context. In this episode we’ll look at a sermon from Derek Prince, an influential teacher in what is known as accepted as deliverance ministry & refute a teaching that has caused a lot of unnecessary pain to a lot of people.

Do Christians have authority for miracles, deliverances, signs and wonders just like Jesus? Or is the believers authority something different? On this episode of RE3, we’ll examine how “authority” is portrayed in NAR/charismatic teaching vs a biblically grounded view using some of the main proof texts that are so often used to prop up false teaching. Along the way, we’ll ask helpful questions that can encourage us to look more closely at what we are taught & learn to think more biblically. A warped view of the believers authority can lead to so much harm long term. This specific false teaching has caused a lot disappointment for those who have bought in to the idea that anything Jesus can do - we can do better.

“Judge not”. Charismatic thought stopping techniques come in many forms, but when discernment is used - out come the calls to to stop judging & claims that popular ministries have good fruit to show for their efforts. Pharisee, Spirit of religion and more are all used in an attempt to keep Christians from obeying scripture. Because the Bible repeatedly commands us to judge. While we need to be careful to judge rightly, the Bible makes it clear what kind of judging is called for in different situations. In this episode we’ll learn how to judge according to scripture AND learn a biblical definition of good fruit when it comes to ministry.

In charismatic/NAR movements, manifestations of all kinds are often seen as proof that the Holy Spirit is working. From the “worship experience”, to altar calls to deliverance services - nearly anything goes & all of it attributed to the Holy Spirit without as much as a question. But how do we explain it when New Age, Hinduism, Shamanism and more have the same manifestations? If speaking in tongues, falling over, convulsions and everything else seen in the NAR looks no different - then how can we determine what spirit is really at work? In this episode we’ll look at examples of manifestations from across the religious spectrum & look to scripture for clarity & discernment. Facts don’t equal feelings, and Christians are commanded to test the spirits, so let’s get started.

How powerful is Satan? In NAR / Charismatic circles - people live, pray and prepare for spiritual battles like he is almost sovereign. Teachings like strategic spiritual mapping, dominion, and calling nearly everything bad that could ever happen a spiritual attack, teach without explicitly saying it - that Satan is the main power on the earth. On this episode we’ll explore the results of this “accidental teaching” and see what the bible actually says about the enemy. We don’t have to live in fear - our King is still on the throne, in heaven and on earth.

What does quenching & grieving the Holy Spirit mean according to scripture? Charismatics teach that questioning the different manifestations that go on in church is the fast track to grieving & quenching the Spirit, but is it true? Many people find themselves worried about being uncomfortable while others get “into the flow”, dancing & shaking - even screaming and falling to the floor. Charismatics are taught that to have doubts about what is going on means that something is wrong with you - and it can scare people into keeping their concerns private. When we are unable to ask questions, we can not only go along with error out of fear, but we can also find ourselves actually committing the very sin we accuse those with doubts of doing. In this episode we’ll break it down according to scripture, to see what grieving the Spirit really means & who in fact is doing it.

Is the Jezebel spirit a manipulating, seductive demonic force named in the Bible Or is it another convenient false teaching used to control unsuspecting people that only appeared recently in church history? Many have been accused of having this spirit, leading to a lot of unnecessary harm in the church. In this episode, we’ll trace the history of the teaching to find out if it really is found in scripture like many deliverance ministries claim. We’ll take a look at the type of ministries that teach things like “Jezebel” spirit. We’ll also touch on the effects this teaching can have on both sides - accusers and accused 🚩I can’t remember where I got a clip or two, they were probably a screen recording from a YouTube video I watched. Sorry to any content creators whose work I can’t give credit to!

How do you find a good church after being hurt, disappointed or even spiritually abused in an NAR/Charismatic church? After years of unbiblical leadership & false teaching, many have no idea where to start or how to identify a good church at all. It has to start with starting over. Learning how to think differently about everything, from biblical leadership to worship & everything in between. It's a paradigm shift that can require rethinking what is really biblical vs letting our feelings lead the way like we often do in the charismatic movement and movements like it. In this episode we'll look at finding a church based on biblical truth, not feelings. We'll also talk about how to leave a church or starting at a new one the right way, what makes a healthy church and more. We aren't meant to live out our faith alone, so we have to learn how to find the right place to grow, serve and heal. The church can be one of life's greatest blessings when we learn to follow God's heart instead of our own.

Leaving NAR & charismatic teachings isn’t easy. Much of what we believed wasn’t what it seemed, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. You ask a lot of questions, and that’s a good thing. While we try to keep up with them in the comments, some questions need a bit more time to answer - so let’s give this a try.

While abuse can happen in any church, the leadership structure in prophetic / NAR movement provides extra cover for wolves to hide behind. As recent stories continue to emerge showing patterns of cover up and abuse, it’s clear that something needs to be done. While there are many good churches with trustworthy leaders - the responsibility to protect the vulnerable falls to all Christians, not just leadership. In order to guard ourselves and our loved ones, we need to know what to watch out for so groomers can be stopped before abuse occurs. In this episode, we’ll track the common patterns that lead to abuse and the red flags to watch out for. The best way to defeat cover up culture is with a church body that is educated and ready to protect our most vulnerable members. @drroncantor videohttps://youtu.be/3uOknBAIZz0?si=1KwoXKsstE7FAc4qKingdom Accountability Project: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/537ce8a1e4b0363f694ef281/t/685ebac8ce8c7f23e48c61e7/1751038664549/Kingdom+Accountability+Project.pdf

Can the charismatic movement reform itself? After years of cover up culture, false prophecy, and high profile ministry failures, we are right to wonder. Could the movement be fixed or is it too far gone? If we trace back through church history, considering the roots of the movement & where it has lead itself it seems pretty clear that anything built on this kind of foundation was destined for failure. And if history teaches us anything, the answer has to be no.

Church dysfunction can happen regardless of size or denomination. Over time a lot of small things can add up, unanswered questions and "rules", false teachings and more lead many to finally choose to look elsewhere for a church to call home.In this episode we'll meet Ronnie & Rose and hear a story that is unfortunately all too familiar. A church that honors leadership in unhealthy & unbiblical ways - check. Rules that apply to some more than others -check. Unbiblical teaching - check. Asking questions and getting unsatisfactory answers - yeah, that too.Most stories of church dysfunction aren't from the big name ministries and insane abuse. It happens to normal people in normal looking churches. No matter the denomination or movement that causes us to start asking questions - the disappointment feels the same. But learning to keep asking questions can help you find the right fit.

Water baptism has taken on new meanings according to revival culture. No longer simply the first step for a Christian, now it can be used for many things - like exorcism, new levels & even healing - at least that’s what they tell us. But is this trend biblical? Or is water baptism becoming the “main event” of a revival service, a new & more exciting version of the altar call? On this episode we’ll take a closer look at this recent addition to Christian practice, measure it against scripture and talk about the confusion and danger it brings into the church.

How do you know if someone is a false teacher? The Bible tells us what to look for, but there are other tell-tale signs too. By looking at a few of the big name charismatic con men from history, we can see a clear pathology take shape that current day false teachers fit into perfectly. The reality is that these wolves in charismatic clothing are nearly all the same in the ways that matter - even if they specialize in different areas. Once you’ve seen the pattern, you’ll know what to look for in the future. The enemy’s schemes haven’t changed, and neither has God’s word. It’s time to stop the cycle!

Cult-like charismatic churches are harmful on many fronts, but an often overlooked aspect is the damage done to the children. Indoctrination of all kinds of false teachings begin at the earliest ages, and cause long term harm that parents need to be aware of. In this episode we explore the kinds of long term harm children & families face when supporting the NAR/prophetic movement, and offer a different approach for raising kids in church - a way that brings parents and children closer to God’s truth as a family. Wolves who seek out the littlest lambs are the most dangerous of all, dividing families and leading our legacy astray. The church needs to wake up to this very real threat to our shared future. Study on effects of a cult on childhood development - https://internationalculticstudies.org/research-highlights/impact-on-children-born-into-or-raised-in-a-cultic-group/

Deliverance ministry as we know it is largely built on the teachings of one man - Derek Prince. Christians being demonized regularly, works of the flesh blamed on demons, and so much more. In this video we begin where Derek Prince began in his newfound deliverance ministry. We’ll hear him explain in his own sermons how he perfected his tactics, and how his practice of deliverance evolved over time into what we now accept as “normal” in deliverance ministry. We’ll only scratch the surface of his influence, only touch on the beginnings of his loose interpretations of scripture & cover only a few of his influential practices - but we hope to show that deliverance ministry is not biblical. It is just one of many deviations of Christian practice that have appeared in the church far more recently than most people realize.

Spiritual warfare is a popular topic in the charismatic church, but not always for the right reasons. While the Bible uses warfare language when describing the battle between the kingdom of God & the kingdom of darkness, we don’t see many of the practices of the NAR in scripture - so where do they come from? The truth is that a lot of “warfare” teaching in the church today is the doctrine of demons. Fire tunnels, decree & declare, and many more may use partial verses - but are simply not found in scripture. If it isn’t in the Bible, we shouldn’t expect to be victorious using these recently invented tactics. For those who are looking to rebuild a biblical faith after leaving the NAR, it’s important to learn what to replace these false teachings with so we can go to battle with the right weapons.