After receiving so many emails about my article on “women pastors” asking about the book referenced in the article; I decided to republish an article I wrote on “Jesus Calling” over two years ago.

The Mystical New Age Roots of “Jesus Calling”

We have been searching for a Bible based church. For a long time, my husband and I have been worshiping from home; watching pastors and preachers whom we have come to trust and love via Youtube. We do miss fellowship and we are aware that God wants us to be in fellowship with other believers.

 We visited a Baptist church in our area. This church ordains women as pastors. The head pastor is a man. We do not believe that the Word of God supports women being pastors.

Knowing that we will probably not find a church where we agree on every point, we know that some things are essential, while others are non-essential to Salvation. I have often spoken of the slippery slope in many of my articles that leadership finds itself on when they stray from the Word.  It is inevitable.

A baby was being dedicated on the Sunday we visited the new church. A book was presented to the parents of the baby by one of the women pastors. The name of the book was “Jesus Calling.” I had read about this book, and knew that it was very controversial, but I had no idea how wrong this book was for any Christian to be reading.

I know that this article is going to upset many people who have come to love Jesus Calling. My job as a writer is to speak truth. I have no control over the readers’ reaction, but I must speak truth; and hopefully I will reach some Christians with the truth. I pray that this piece will help many to see that Jesus Calling is not a book that Jesus would have them read.

“Jesus Calling” is a New Age mystical book which Christians should completely avoid.

SOLA SCRIPTURA
From gotquestions.org

Question: “What is sola scriptura?”

Answer: The phrase sola scriptura is from the Latin: sola having the idea of “alone,” “ground,” “base,” and the word scriptura meaning “writings”—referring to the Scriptures. Sola scriptura means that Scripture alone is authoritative for the faith and practice of the Christian. The Bible is complete, authoritative, and true. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). [1]

It says in Timothy 3:16, that all Scripture is God-breathed. Just as He breathed life into Adam, He breathed the Words of the Bible – penned by men, but under His inspiration. It is so vitally important for the believer to read God’s Word. It is food for the soul. God speaks to us through His Word.

Have you ever read a verse of Scripture that you have read many times before, but suddenly the words just jumped off the page and into your heart? God was speaking to you through His Word, and helping you with whatever you were going through at that particular time.

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)

Jesus Calling

The author of this book, Sarah Young, modeled her book after “God Calling” – a book written in the early 1930s. This book was written by two “listeners” who said that they would come into the presence of God and begin to write what they thought He was saying. It is a New Age practice called automatic writing. The New Age followers believe that they are channeling spirits who impart knowledge to them. We know that these so-called spirits are demons.

Isn’t it just like Satan to deceive the children of God? In “Jesus Calling,” Sarah Young also claims that she came into God’s presence and listened and then wrote what she felt He was saying to her. She writes as if Jesus Himself is speaking.

Doesn’t it make you wonder who was saying the things for Miss Young to write? I have skimmed through many of the writings in this book, and on the surface they seem innocuous. But I have wondered why so many millions of Christians would resort to reading this book, when we have the Word of God. Why do they need more? Who is whispering to them that they need more?

I see that Sarah Young now has a book out for children, and even a Jesus Calling bible!  This alarms me, and makes me wonder why so many Christians lack discernment. It is obvious to me that Satan is confusing and deceiving God’s children. But if these same people would read the Word of God, they would see that everything they need to know is right there in His Word!

Harper Collins publishes “Jesus Calling” books. Harper Collins also publishes the Satanic Bible. Coincidence? I think not.

Back to the church that my husband and I visited; we had the pastor come to our home to speak with us about some of our concerns. I had already told him about being alarmed that the church would present Jesus Calling to the parents of a baby being dedicated. When we began to speak with him about this, he shut us down by saying that his wife loves Jesus Calling and that all of these books bring her peace. So, the book is okay because his wife loves it?  I was speechless.

I began to connect the dots. I thought to myself that this pastor believes that it is okay to ordain women as pastors, and he was influenced by his wife about the spiritual legitimacy of Jesus Calling. My mind traveled back to the Scriptures about the Garden of Eden. It was Eve who was deceived by Satan. Adam sinned willfully. I believe that he did this because of his love for Eve. He put her above God.

If this pastor believed the Word of God, and studied it as any pastor should, he would have seen the error of his ways. God would have spoken to him through His Word. But instead he did what he thought was right.

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

Warren Smith on “Jesus Calling”

Warren Smith wrote a book entitled Another Jesus Calling. In this insightful book, Mr. Smith asks the question “Is this really our Savior speaking?” I would encourage any readers of this article, who are defensive about Sarah Young’s book, to purchase Another Jesus Calling. Warren Smith believes (as I do) that this is just part of the Emerging Church movement, where contemplative prayer and eastern mediation is encouraged.

Please pass this article on to anyone you know who is reading Jesus Calling. I pray that the Lord will bring many away from this counterfeit book and back into His book – the Bible.

Blessings in Yeshua

MARANATHA!

grandmageri422@gmail.com

Articles may be viewed at grandmageri422.me

 

Not a week goes by where I do not read about the errant and apostate teachings in mainline denominations. They are taught to hate Israel. They are taught that the Word of God in not infallible. They are taught that homosexuality is perfectly fine with God, and even appoint gay pastors in their churches.

As my readers know, I am in no way “Politically Correct.”  The statement I am about to make will enrage many women in the mainline churches. I must speak truth, and the truth is this:  The mainline churches are filled with female pastors, and I believe that the Word of God is very clear that this is not God’s will.  Women should not be in positions of authority over men in the Church.

From gotquestions.org

Question: “Women pastors / preachers? Can a woman be a pastor or preacher?”

Answer: There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than the issue of women serving as pastors/preachers. As a result, it is very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who believe women can serve as preachers and that there are no restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.

The Word of God proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11–12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1 Timothy 2:13–14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which definitely includes preaching to them, teaching them publicly, and exercising spiritual authority over them.

There are many objections to this view of women in pastoral ministry. A common one is that Paul restricts women from teaching because in the first century, women were typically uneducated. However, 1 Timothy 2:11–14nowhere mentions educational status. If education were a qualification for ministry, then the majority of Jesus’ disciples would not have been qualified. A second common objection is that Paul only restricted the women of Ephesus from teaching men (1 Timothy was written to Timothy, the pastor of the church in Ephesus). Ephesus was known for its temple to Artemis, and women were the authorities in that branch of paganism—therefore, the theory goes, Paul was only reacting against the female-led customs of the Ephesian idolaters, and the church needed to be different. However, the book of 1 Timothy nowhere mentions Artemis, nor does Paul mention the standard practice of Artemis worshipers as a reason for the restrictions in 1 Timothy 2:11–12.

A third objection is that Paul is only referring to husbands and wives, not men and women in general. The Greek words for “woman” and “man” in 1 Timothy 2 could refer to husbands and wives; however, the basic meaning of the words is broader than that. Further, the same Greek words are used in verses 8–10. Are only husbands to lift up holy hands in prayer without anger and disputing (verse 8)? Are only wives to dress modestly, have good deeds, and worship God (verses 9–10)? Of course not. Verses 8–10 clearly refer to all men and women, not just husbands and wives. There is nothing in the context that would indicate a narrowing to husbands and wives in verses 11–14.

Yet another objection to this interpretation of women in pastoral ministry is in relation to women who held positions of leadership in the Bible, specifically Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in the Old Testament. It is true that these women were chosen by God for special service to Him and that they stand as models of faith, courage, and, yes, leadership. However, the authority of women in the Old Testament is not relevant to the issue of pastors in the church. The New Testament Epistles present a new paradigm for God’s people—the church, the body of Christ—and that paradigm involves an authority structure unique to the church, not for the nation of Israel or any other Old Testament entity.

Similar arguments are made using Priscilla and Phoebe in the New Testament. In Acts 18, Priscilla and Aquila are presented as faithful ministers for Christ. Priscilla’s name is mentioned first, perhaps indicating that she was more prominent in ministry than her husband. Did Priscilla and her husband teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to Apollos? Yes, in their home they “explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). Does the Bible ever say that Priscilla pastored a church or taught publicly or became the spiritual leader of a congregation of saints? No. As far as we know, Priscilla was not involved in ministry activity in contradiction to 1 Timothy 2:11–14.

In Romans 16:1, Phoebe is called a “deacon” (or “servant”) in the church and is highly commended by Paul. But, as with Priscilla, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that Phoebe was a pastor or a teacher of men in the church. “Able to teach” is given as a qualification for elders, but not for deacons (1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:6–9).

The structure of 1 Timothy 2:11–14 makes the reason why women cannot be pastors perfectly clear. Verse 13 begins with “for,” giving the “cause” of Paul’s statement in verses 11–12. Why should women not teach or have authority over men? Because “Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived” (verses 13–14). God created Adam first and then created Eve to be a “helper” for Adam. The order of creation has universal application in the family (Ephesians 5:22–33) and in the church.

The fact that Eve was deceived is also given in 1 Timothy 2:14 as a reason for women not serving as pastors or having spiritual authority over men. This does not mean that women are gullible or that they are all more easily deceived than men. If all women are more easily deceived, why would they be allowed to teach children (who are easily deceived) and other women (who are supposedly more easily deceived)? The text simply says that women are not to teach men or have spiritual authority over men because Eve was deceived. God has chosen to give men the primary teaching authority in the church.

Many women excel in gifts of hospitality, mercy, teaching, evangelism, and helps. Much of the ministry of the local church depends on women. Women in the church are not restricted from public praying or prophesying (1 Corinthians 11:5), only from having spiritual teaching authority over men. The Bible nowhere restricts women from exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12). Women, just as much as men, are called to minister to others, to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23), and to proclaim the gospel to the lost (Matthew 28:18–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

God has ordained that only men are to serve in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. This is not because men are necessarily better teachers or because women are inferior or less intelligent (which is not the case). It is simply the way God designed the church to function. Men are to set the example in spiritual leadership—in their lives and through their words. Women are to take a less authoritative role. Women are encouraged to teach other women (Titus 2:3–5). The Bible also does not restrict women from teaching children. The only activity women are restricted from is teaching or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors to men. This does not make women less important, by any means, but rather gives them a ministry focus more in agreement with God’s plan and His gifting of them. – source

My husband and I visited a Baptist church a couple of years ago. We had met the main pastor and really liked him.  The only thing holding us back was that the pastor ordained women as pastors and the head of the elders was a woman.

One Sunday, we finally went to the church.  During a baby dedication, a woman pastor gave “Jesus Calling” to the parents as a gift from the church.  I could hardly sit in my seat. I wanted to jump up and say NO!!  My husband held my hand tightly. He was thinking the same thing as I was, but has a cooler head than I do most of the time.

We Must Follow the Word of God

God does not change.  His Word does not  change.  Times may change, but that does not mean that we are to attempt to make things more in “tune” with the times. Actually, as things change for the worse, we are to impact our society with the unchanging Word of God!  This is why “seeker” churches are so very dangerous.

The Role of Women in the Church

It is clear that women should teach other women in the church. The older women are to teach the younger to love their husbands. Women are not restricted from teaching children in church.

We are Equal in God’s eyes but have Different Roles

God is not demeaning women with these teachings from the Word. He is clearly giving instruction about how He wants His church to function.  Just like in marriage, the Word says that the woman’s covering is the man, and the man’s covering is Jesus. The Word instructs men to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church. The Word instructs women to respect their husbands.

God knows best.  He is God and we are NOT.

Shalom b’Yeshua

MARANATHA

grandmageri422@gmail.com

Articles may be found at grandmageri422.me