Over the years, a lot of people have asked me to list preachers and teachers of Christianity that I trust. In light of the increasing number of false teachers gaining prominence in our culture, it seems wise to go ahead and make a list. Many find it difficult to know who to trust, and I hope to be helpful. Here is a list of Bible teachers I can recommend.
The List
- Adrian Rogers – Love Worth Finding
- Alistair Begg – Truth for Life
- Allen Jackson – Allen Jackson Ministries
- Bob Christopher – Basic Gospel
- Bob Davis – Basic Gospel
- Charles Stanley – In Touch Ministries
- Chip Ingram – Living on the Edge
- Chuck Smith – The Word for Today, founder of Calvary Chapel
- Chuck Swindoll – Insight for Living
- Colin Smith – Open the Bible
- Ed Stetzer – (at Moody Radio)
- Ed Taylor – Abounding Grace
- Erwin Lutzer – Running to Win
- Gary Hedrick – CJF Ministries, Messianic Perspectives
- Greg Laurie – A New Beginning
- Haddon Robinson – (at Moody Audio)
- Hank Hanegraaff – Christian Research Institute
- J. Vernon McGee – Through the Bible
- Jack Hibbs – Real Life
- James Dobson – Family Talk
- Jeff Schwartzentraub – Brave Church
- Jim Daly – Focus on the Family
- John MacArthur – Grace to You
- John Piper – Desiring God
- Joni Eareckson Tada – Joni and Friends
- Michael Youssef – Leading the Way
- Mike Winger – Bible Thinker
- Robert Jeffress – Pathway to Victory
- Steve Brown – Key Life Ministries
- Timothy Keller – Gospel in Life
- Voddie Baucham
There’s an empty list item above. That’s because the list can never be finished. In fact, I’ve only added a handful so far. The truth is that any of these teachers, if you listen long enough, will tell you what you need to know to begin following Jesus closely, and to continue to grow as His disciple.
What about David Jeremiah?
Before you email me about David Jeremiah, please read Is David Jeremiah a False Teacher?
Before you respond:
Of course, I need a disclaimer. Or three. Or more.
Who is ON the list?
People I’ve listened to. People I’ve grown to trust over a number of years. While I understand you may want your favorites added to the list, it’s not really possible for me to listen intently and seriously to everybody… so this list will continue to be only those I’ve heard over the years.
Who is NOT on the list?
First – obviously – the list will not include anyone on the List of False Teachers.
Next – seemingly as obvious – people I’ve never heard of, along with people who haven’t yet come to mind.
Finally – to save you some time – I only list people I’m familiar with. I haven’t heard every Bible teacher. Please don’t ask why so-and-so isn’t on the list… the reasons are right here. Thanks!
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all Christian ministers who faithfully teach the Bible. Thankfully, there are simply too many to list. This list is intentionally designed to help people discern whether a prominent person is a faithful communicator of God’s Word. I have nothing against listing local ministers, as they deserve a pat on the back… but this list isn’t a pat on the back. It’s my personal understanding of who I believe you can trust to lead you as you grow in your relationship with God.
How to handle disagreements
Do you disagree with one of these people? Do you disagree with me about whether they should be recommended? Great! No, really… I mean that.
How should Christians handle disagreements? Obviously, our first stop is Scripture. If I say that Jesus never rose from the dead, and Paul wrote that He did, go with Paul. The only criteria by which a true or false teacher should be judged is whether they faithfully share with others the gospel as it was originally handed down. That means that what is taught matches what we read in the New Testament. If your disagreement doesn’t come from Scripture, you’re simply not in a position to critique a Bible teacher.
The next thing to consider is whether the issue at hand is primary or secondary. A primary issue has to do with things like the nature of God, the humanity and divinity of Jesus, the personality of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, and salvation. There are actually, in my opinion, not very many primary issues. Secondary issues have to do with how we live AS Christians. Examples might be modes of baptism, cutting one’s hair, exercising spiritual gifts, end-times predictions, and so on. There is a never-ending stream of disagreements about secondary issues. This list is not focused on whether I agree with someone on secondary issues, but whether they contradict Scripture on primary issues.
If, after prayerfully considering the best way to voice your disagreement, you decide to weigh in, I will be grateful. I don’t know everything, and I don’t know everybody… let alone everything that anybody teaches. If someone should be removed from the list for persistently teaching errors, I will remove them. Personal attacks are never welcome. Use Scripture, logic, and common sense.
Your help in growing this list is very much appreciated. I will, of course, try to look into every suggestion.
THAT is my hope.
Your Thoughtful Responses are Welcome
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Thank you for your thoughtful description of true biblical teachers. I’ve been trying to understand how false teachers fall into their category, and read your page concerning those folks. I appreciate the alternative and beneficial list here as a start to those who teach truth!
Thank you,
It’s most important to stay attached to God’s most holy Word, not being side tracked by the schemes of the evil one, using popularity in this world to draw people from the truth.
Thank you for standing for the truth.
Bob Kill
I came across this article looking for information on false teachers to show my fellowship group. I appreciate that you took the time to make a recommendation list of Bible teachers. I am only familiar with to of them. Due to the growing list of false teachers out there I came to grow weary of listening to almost any preacher. I would definitely add Chuck Missler from Koinonia House as Bible teacher. I also listen to Paul Washer from HeartCry and Ray Comfort from Living Waters. I almost only listen to them.
I find Mike Winger, The Bible Thinker, to be a Biblical, thorough, humble teacher. I recommend him to all and especially new Christians.
I’ve been a Christian for fifty years and most of the men on your list, I totally agree with. The ones I do not agree with are teachers whom I do not know. I will be checking them out. Thank you for your ministry.
I like Mike too, so I’ve added him to the list. Thanks, Rowena!
What’s your opinion of Robert Morris of Gateway Church?
Annette:
Thanks for asking. This is one of those difficult situations I describe in What is a False Teacher? Robert Morris is chancellor of King’s University, founded by Jack Hayford. It’s hard to imagine that someone in that position, recommended by so many, would be a false teacher. At the same time, there are definite concerns. He teaches that his number one priority should be his wife, rather than God. He claims that that’s what God told him. That contradicts what God has already said… there are many passages that clearly teach our allegiance is to be to God first, even over any family member. As Jesus pointed out, the great commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. If Jesus had meant that we should put our spouses first, He would have said so. When anyone claims to have heard directly from God – as Morris did in this case – and then contradicts what God has already said in the Bible, it should raise a big red flag.
Morris also taught this: Jesus, he rightly pointed out, is both fully human and fully divine… but we, as believers, are not fully divine. That’s true. What’s the problem? He goes on to say that we are partially divine. That’s unbiblical nonsense. We are not partially God, no matter how you slice it. Our nature is human. A very common idea among false teachers the Word of Faith movement blurs the line between God and man… they demote God to something less than He is, and promote us to something more than we are. Morris follows suit in this case.
His teaching on tithing is also problematic. If God demanded that Christians tithe – which is not the case – then tithing is a matter of obedience. If tithing is required, then the results are irrelevant. Morris teaches that people in his church should tithe for a year… and, if they’re not satisfied, he’ll give them their money back. This shows that his ideas and teaching are severely out of whack, as I’m sure you would agree. Why would a pastor teach that people should tithe, then later – based on their feelings about it – undo their obedience to God? That’s simply ridiculous, and I don’t mean that in a “that’s funny” way. It’s tragic. He has apparently also said that not tithing can open a door for demons. Wow.
Based on these things, and his association with known false teachers like Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, I would avoid Robert Morris entirely. I’m sorry to be bearer of bad news, but there are simply too many good teachers out there who will help us learn from Scripture to pay any attention to someone like Robert Morris. Please join me in praying for him.
Thank you for this information. What are your thoughts/opinions on the teaching of Beth Moore?
Brandi:
I’m happy to help! I know who Beth Moore is, and many recommend her teaching. I’m not an expert on her teaching, so I can only make general statements.
Much of what Beth Moore says is good. However, I think it’s safe to say that her ministry isn’t theologically-based. Rather, it’s based in her own thoughts about what women need to know about Jesus. While this isn’t inherently bad, I would suggest that her theology has always been a bit squishy. She seems to be rather flexible in how she interprets Bible verses. There are two basic kinds of interpretation:
An example: when someone talks about David and Goliath, and suggests that we are Davids and that our problems are our own Goliaths, they are eisegeting: putting into the text something that isn’t already there. That’s not good, of course… yet many teachers do this. They use passages of Scripture as metaphors for other things. Those who learn this way end up thinking that the Bible is about them, and their problems, and what God wants to do to help them be happy. That’s not what the Bible is about, of course. One of Moore’s lessons compares us with the demon-possessed man in Matthew 8, who lived in the tombs. She wonders how many of us are “living in the tombs” as well. It’s that kind of stuff, over time, that leads people to think that God’s goal is our personal happiness, rather than what we see in Scripture: that nobody would perish, but that all would come to repentance (1 Peter 3:9).
Beth Moore seems to lean less toward exegesis and more toward eisegesis. I find that problematic, as it leads us in the wrong direction. Following Jesus isn’t about US. When we look at what Jesus taught, most of it is about living as obedient subjects of God, who is depicted again and again as a king. John the Baptist and Jesus and His disciples talked about the Kingdom all the time, and about how we respond to the King. Teachers like Beth Moore – like I said above – say a LOT of GOOD things, but too often make being a Christian sound like good advice on having a happy life.
Much of the criticism we find online about Beth Moore comes from the fact that she’s a woman who teaches. Whether women can teach men is very much an in-house debate among believers, and I don’t think someone can be called a false teacher because they’re on one side of the debate. What concerns me more is that she appears to have gone from traditional biblical teaching toward what is often called “progressive Christianity.” I haven’t written an article about that, as I don’t have direct quotes from Moore. Calling Beth Moore a false teacher without concrete evidence would be irresponsible, but I wouldn’t recommend her as a reliable teacher of Scripture.
I’m sorry I don’t have a better answer for you at this time, Brandi. Let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great day!
would you be so kind to validate pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Virginia ? https://cornerstonechapel.net/
i have been listening to his series sermon. In my limited knowledge i think he teaches the truth. perhaps you can help to validate.
Micky:
I would never pretend to “validate” anyone… but I think I get what you mean. I can compare what Cornerstone says they believe with Scripture, and I see nothing of concern. In fact, I see indications that they’re likely a very responsible church. Most Calvary Chapels are known for sound teaching, so I would keep listening.
As always, we should be like the Bereans. We read about them in Acts 17, where they listened to the apostle Paul and double-checked what he said with the Scriptures. We should follow their example, and always be willing to double-check our leaders… and people who write articles on websites, too.
I used to watch and listen to R.C. Sproul what do u think of his ministry of course he died in 2017
Varouj:
Like most people (incuding myself), R.C. Sproul taught many truths from Scripture. I have no doubt he was sincere in his beliefs, of course. There are a number of things that he and I would disagree about, but I haven’t heard or read anything from him that would make me think he was someone to avoid.
First time visitor to ur site & it’s been a positive experience. I am a great “fan” of the late Pastor Charles Stanley. As a teen, I heard his preaching & then list sight of him. I thank & praise God for leading me to Pastor Stanley again 3 yrs ago. His Biblically-sound teachings have redefined my relationship w/Christ & I feel like a new believer w a connection to Christ I never felt before. I was glad to see Charles Stanley & David Jeremiah on your list tho it doesn’t surprise me. I look forward to reading ur list of Bible versions that are not Biblically sound. Thank you for ur work here.
Audra:
Welcome… and thanks for letting me know. I’m here if you have any questions!
Glad to see Charles Stanley because I always listen to his sermons. I also loved Billy Graham and I watch his sermons every now and then. I haven’t seen him on any of your lists , yet I know so many people still listen to his teachings online . Thanks
Do you believe any teacher that does not teach to keep the 10 commandments including the Sabbath follow Torah and celebrate appointed feasts of the Lord Leviticus 23. Is a false teacher?
Yet most teachers all teach to celebrate pagan feasts like christmas easter.. These are not written in any of God’s Holy scriptures. Yeshua celebrated on Sabbath and appointed feasts
No, Mariam… I don’t believe that. In fact, anyone who does teach that Christians should follow Torah is teaching falsely. You might walk through this by reading another article.
You may consider Christmas and Easter to be pagan, and you’re allowed – of course – to be wrong. There’s nothing wrong with setting aside a day to mark Jesus’ birth and resurrection, is there? Don’t we mark Jesus’ resurrection on a weekly basis? Why would an annual remembrance be any different? Sure, people can – and often do – incorporate strange ideas into these days… but there’s nothing inherently wrong with them.
I’ve never heard ANY minister, of ANY group, teach people to celebrate Christmas or Easter, by the way. Because both are common among people who follow Jesus, it’s usually assumed that they will… so the ministers I’ve heard simply try to bring meaning to the practice. At no time have I heard anyone encourage someone else to BEGIN celebrating either one.
Yes, our Lord did celebrate on the sabbath, and participated in the feasts. Why? Because He is a Jew, and – before His death – bound by the terms of the old covenant. He committed no sin, and failing to observe Torah at that time would have been sin. The rest of the New Testament is abundantly clear that neither Jew nor Gentile are bound by the old covenant. We have a new and better covenant!
I would like to know what you think also of Dr. David Jeremiah of turning point ministry, Greg Laurie harvest Christian fellowship and Pastor John Hagee of Hagee ministries Texas. Thank you.
Chanell:
Thanks for asking! I’ve written about David Jeremiah. Having listened to Greg Laurie, I appreciate him very much and have not heard anything that concerned me.
I would avoid John Hagee. I haven’t written about him yet, but he denies that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah (clearly false), has worked closely with false teacher John Avanzini, has falsely prophesied (blood moons, for example), believes that Jews don’t need Jesus, and more. That last one is quite odd, considering almost everything in the New Testament was written by a converted Jew.
Dear Miriam, (I like your name but don’t hear it much today). I by chance ran upon a guy named Tom Bradford who has a site called. “Torahclass.com” I suggest you search ‘Torah class Tom Bradford’, it will give you several links. I have, and you will learn much. He gives strong Biblical answers to most Biblical questions. He seems to be a messianic Christian who follows Jesus as HE directed. I really like him. Shalom Bob
Bob:
Thanks. I don’t know much about them, but a quick read doesn’t raise any red flags for me. I don’t often allow links to ministries with which I’m unfamiliar, but this one seems okay. Have a great day!
Tony, in brotherly love I must reply. I liked your site and so I began to read and learn and ‘poke around’. You may delete this post and I will not be offended as this is your site. I will respond to your reply to Miriam per paragraph.
1. Read Matthew 5:17 ‘ HE did not come to abolish……’ . Therefore it still exists.
2.Christmas is pagan. Read Jeremiah 10:2-5 . “Learn not the way of the heathen….”
“For the customs of the people are vain: for……”. “They deck it with silver….”
Easter is pagan. Read Matthew 12:39-40 Any preacher who preaches Good Friday
death and Easter Sunday resurrection just called JESUS a liar ! Or the BIBLE is false. Or the poor man doesn’t understand the simplest of math.
Remember Aaron’s 2 sons whom GOD destroyed for offering ” strange fire” unto the
Lord. Leviticus 10:1
3. Traditions of men. Many verses. An example Mark 7:6-9. Most churches I have attended invited all, new and old, to join in their celebration of the ‘traditions of men.’
4. Yes. Christ led the perfect life and gave us an example to follow. Read Matthew 5:17
‘ Think not that I am come to destroy the law……but to fulfill.” If He did not destroy the Law then it still exists. We are bound by every word of the Bible. The New Covenant is coming…… I don’t believe it is here yet as most Bible wording concerning the New Covenant talks in a future tense, and I don’t believe Hebrews 8:6-13 is fulfilled as it states.
Again in brotherly love I suggest we all forget what we were taught and look at the Bible with fresh eyes and understanding.
I ask people, “Who, out of all the people you have ever known, loved you the most.”
Upon some prodding I postulate ‘their parents’. “Did they ever lie to you?” What about Santa Clause ? The Easter Bunny ? Think on that one for a second. Maybe the preacher is just maintaining the ‘traditions of man’.
I meant this not to offend anyone…just to pose a different opinion observed from a different angle. I really do wish truthful answers.
Sincerely in brotherly love
Shalom,
Bob
Bob:
Please forgive the delay in getting to your email… it’s been a busy couple of weeks!
1. I have, of course, read Matthew 5:17. Here it is:
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Some people leave off the second part. This doesn’t seem wise. The important question to ask is, “What did Jesus mean by ‘fulfill them?'” The word translated “to fulfill” is PLEROO. It means to fill up, or to complete. The same word is used in Scripture to ‘fulfill a vow,’ to ‘fulfill an obligation,’ to ‘fulfill the word of the Lord,’ to ‘fulfill the vision,’ and to ‘fulfill all righteousness.’ According to Matthew, Jesus said that He came to complete the Law and the Prophets (which is all of the Old Testament). The idea that anyone should today be involved in living by the Mosaic covenant has no basis in Matthew 5:17.
2a. No, Christmas is not pagan. Jeremiah 10 speak of idols, not Christmas trees. I’ve never heard of anyone worshipping a Christmas tree. Do pagans celebrate Christmas? Some do. Do some things that people do at Christmastime relate to things that pagans used to do? Certainly. That doesn’t invalidate actually celebrating the birth of the Messiah. The details matter… but pretending that any celebration of Jesus’ birth is pagan is commit the genetic fallacy.
2b. No, Easter is not pagan. Same argument as above about the paganism. As for Matthew 12, it’s important to read Jesus’ words in context. This is an old argument, and easily debunked. Jesus did not say He would be in the grave for 72 hours. He said three days and three nights. What did He mean? They didn’t count days like we do. For them, a day started at sunset… not at midnight. Any part of a day was called “a day.” This is well-established. Thursday evening/Friday day would be one night and one day. Friday evening/Saturday day would be two nights and two days. Saturday evening/Sunday day would be three nights and three days. Some people think that anything less than 72 hours – a foreign concept to ancient Jewish thinking – invalidates what Christians have believed throughout history.
3. I don’t know what you mean by “traditions of men.” Do you mean Christmas and Easter? Here’s Mark 7:6-9:
He [Jesus] replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
This doesn’t invalidate every kind of human tradition. The early church met every day. That was a human tradition, but they weren’t “letting go of the commands of God.” Neither are those who sincerely celebrate Jesus’ birth and resurrection. The idea that everything a pagan ever touched is off-limits to God’s people is both unbiblical and kind of silly. Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch! is found in Colossians 2, and does not come from God. It comes from the world that Christians have left behind and are based on merely human commands and teachings.
I’m confused by this: “I don’t believe Hebrews 8:6-13 is fulfilled as it states.” Are you saying that you don’t believe the passage is true?
Some suggest that the new covenant hasn’t yet been established. I don’t agree, as Jesus said as much the night before He died… but I don’t know how anyone can read By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete and believe that anyone is still under the old covenant. Of course, there are plenty of other passages that show we’re not under the law, including this one from Romans 6: we are not under the law.
I appreciate your brotherly love, my friend! Your thoughts?
Dear Brother,
Are all Pentecostal Preachers False Teachers/Prophets?
Kerry:
No, certainly not. I have plenty of friends and family in the Pentecostal tradition. In fact, I was a licensed minister is that tradition. My son’s godparents were Pentecostal ministers.
There are two problems, as I see them. First, Pentecostals don’t tend to worry very much about watching their doctrine closely, as Paul told Timothy to do. They tend to be more concerned about experiencing God, rather than learning a lot about Him. Wanting to personally experience more of God’s presence is a VERY good impulse. Too many who aren’t Pentecostal seem to not think this matters at all. At the same time, their focus on what they feel typically causes them to not focus on what they should think. If they could do both, that would be a big improvement. As we read in Acts, the early church certainly experienced God working… but they also devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.
With the (typical) Pentecostal focus on experience comes an understandable focus on other peoples’ experiences. Because they often lack a solid theological foundation, they too often accept the claims of others without comparing them against Scripture, or testing the spirits. This is where we get unbiblical ideas like “he has a demon of anger,” and so on. This is a double-whammy, where their lack of doctrinal maturity feeds their acceptance of unbiblical ideas.
The second problem is that Pentecostal churches tend to have a congregational form of government. Each church is entirely independent from every other church. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with a congregational form of government. It’s that different forms of government have pluses and minuses. One plus of having a denominational structure is that there’s some level of oversight, which helps correct major problems. In many cases, the pastor of a Pentecostal church is actually the sole owner of the church and all its assets. With zero accountability beyond those who attend and give money, a pastor can pretty much do and say whatever they want. In most cases, this isn’t a problem. Most Pentecostal churches aren’t chock full of abuse due to being led by a liar. In some cases, because the culture isn’t theologically savvy and because there’s no accountability, you end up with incredibly bad theology, terrible cultural problems, legalism, and abuse.
The problems aren’t there because it’s a Pentecostal church. The problems are there because of what Pentecostal churches are usually like. In situations where doctrine matters, heresy and stupidity are less common. In situations where leadership is godly, abuse is less common. When people ask me to recommend churches and teachers, I virtually never recommend Pentecostal churches… not because they’re inherently bad, but because I have no way of knowing whether this church or that church is going to ruin someone’s life. They’re like a magnet for problems, even though most of them are not bad at all. To be able to recommend one, I’d have to personally attend with them and follow up on what’s being taught in a one-on-one relationship. Nobody can do that over the internet, so I have to avoid recommending them entirely. It’s sad.
Does that make sense? Let me know what you think. Have a great day!
Tony:
First, allow me to thank you for your very quick response. Also, allow me to be totally honest with you. I have been preaching the Gospel for over 40 years. And, yes I am licensed with a Pentecostal denomination.
I am sad to have to say that for the most part I agree with everything you just said. That being said, when I was a young Pentecostal Preacher, I was proud to say I am a blood bought, Spirit Filled, Tongue Talking, demon chasing Child of God. However, as I get older, I am sad to have to admit there are times that I am almost embarrassed to say I am Pastor of a Pentecostal Church.
Why is that I have been forced to ask myself. I found I have finally come to this one conclusion: if Pentecost is what we “few” TRULY Pentecostal Preachers claim it to be, then is it any wonder or should we be surprised the devil targeted us, in which to sow his tares?
I think it is clear what I am trying to say; but for the sake of clarity please allow me to continue a bit further.
However, before I continue allow me to say I am a bit surprised because you seem to be giving the impression you don’t believe in demon spirits and that at times in a Christians life he or she can’t be tormented by a spirit of rage and anger. Never the less, I realize that may be a discussion for another time.
The point I want to clarify and end with is this: I agree with you; there are times when asked to recommend a Pentecostal Church and/or Pentecostal Teachers and Preachers, I struggle to find an appropriate reply. I appreciate the fact you try and answer then honestly by saying to them you are sorry to have to say there are none that quickly comes to mind that in good faith you can recommend.
None the less, it is at this point I disagree with you and most of your fellow Apologists; you “seem” to leave your listers and follows with the impression there are no Pentecostals you can trust and if you continue following Pentecostal Doctrine, you are going to end up in HELL and that my friend saddens me greatly.
In closing, I confess I do not know you that well and as a result, I may be totally mis-judging you and for that I am truly sorry. I do think however; if you would just add one statement to your answer for you friends and followers when they ask you for a recommendation: if you would just say to them: even though there are no Pentecostals that you can in good faith recommend does not in anyway mean there are none.
I mean, after all; was not Paul a TRUE PENTECOSTAL PREACHER????
May God continue to richly Bless You!
Kerry:
Yes, it’s sad that I have to even hesitate a little bit when considering whether to recommend a Pentecostal church to someone. It’s frustrating, as there’s plenty to commend… but the danger is real. Most of the folks who ask have already been in difficult situations, and I wouldn’t want to steer them into another.
You make a good, interesting point: why wouldn’t our adversary want to mess things up at any Pentecostal church? So much potential.
I’m not sure what you mean by “don’t believe in demon spirits.” I do, of course, believe in demons. I believe they’re a serious problem, even for believers. What I don’t believe is that character flaws or bad habits like anger, drunkenness, or envy are the result of demons. We can be tempted by them, but I would never claim that someone’s problems in these areas are caused by demons, rather than by individual decisions made. If fits of rage are sinful, then the one who has them is responsible for them. If drunkenness is a sin, one can only be held accountable for that sin if they have the ability to avoid it. I’ve known plenty of people who believe that sins like these are NOT the result of sin, but of spiritual oppression that can’t be overcome. Like you said, a discussion for another time… I write this to make it clear that I know demons are real, and cause real trouble. What they can’t do, as I understand it, is force someone to sin.
I have no idea where you got the impression that following Pentecostal doctrine will send anyone to Hell. It’s almost as if you didn’t see these bits from my response to you:
I very much appreciate hearing from you, Kerry… and I’m praying for you and your congregation, that God will richly bless you in every way.
Les Feldick “Through the Bible” and
J Vernon Mcgee “Through the Bible”
Both are now deceased and I feel they both followed the whole Bible tieing the appropriate scriptures together showing the Bible’s Inerrant Truth. What are your thoughts?
John:
Thanks for weighing in! I love listening to J. Vernon McGee, and can recommend him. He’s already on the list, of course. I only know Les Feldick by reputation. I was given one of his books recently, and couldn’t comment until I read it… but I doubt there will be any concerns.
Is the Church of Christ denomination a cult? They are very legalistic and do not teach that you can Know you are saved.
Cindy:
Thanks for your question. It’s a bit off-topic here (no worries), and requires some depth to answer properly. I’ve written a new article on it, which you can find here: Is the Church of Christ a Cult?
Let me know if you have any questions.
Have a great day!
Do you recommend any female Bible teachers?
Jennifer:
A good question! The teachers I list above are ones I’ve listened to for a long time… mostly on the radio. There aren’t many female Bible teachers on the radio, so I’m far less familiar with them than the others. I’d like to feature more ladies who know their stuff. I do list a number of ladies in My List of Apologetics Ministries. That’s an area I spend more time in, and an area where a number of ladies are both doing good work and gaining prominence.
I am so happy that Charles Stanley, Allen Jackson, and Alistair Begg are on the trusted list. I’ve listened to their sermons for a while. Very few people make me comfortable to listen to for guidance.
I have a friend who constantly promotes David Jeremiah on Facebook. I listened to him and decided to put him on pause until I discerned whether he was trustworthy in my quest for truth and understanding of God’s word. I see that I was smart to do so after following the link you provided.
I’m so glad that my friend Pam sent me to your site. It’s immensely helpful to me.
I’ve been watching [a class] on Utube. He presents his lesson straight from the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation ( not all books ), from the Christian point of view with the Jewish perspective that we don’t get taught today. I tell people a secret……
“Jesus was Jewish, he lived Jewish, and is probably coming back Jewish.” The Bible was written primarily by Jews, about Jews, for Jews. To deny the Jewish connection is to deny the correct interpretation. If you care to look beyond the traditions of man, and can see past the Sadducees preaching from the pulpit you might also read ‘Pagan Christianity’ by Barna.
Both have answered many questions I had as a 40 year Christian.
Bob:
I’m not sure who you’re talking to. As for me, it’s certainly not a secret that Jesus is Jewish. I’ve read Pagan Christianity, but I don’t know who you think “the Sadducees” are. Could you explain a bit more?
Dear Tony,
I’m addressing anyone and everyone. I know you are very busy trying to address every comment made, and I commend you. If you ever have any spare time you might look at [edited] on Utube. Subjects like the Sabbath, the trial of Jesus, the Pharisees and Sadducees become more relevant to me, a white American who spent a lot of time in Pagan Churches. If you only have time for one episode look at [edited]. If one still believes in Sunday as the Sabbath maybe the TV reception was unclear. If an organization believes the Sabbath has been replaced by Sunday they mitigate Jesus speaking in Hebrews 4:8 and 4:9 and quite a number of other Bible verses.
I now look at our current religious situation in America and compare it to Jesus’ time on Earth. Our current preachers are parallel to the Sadducees of old. Both preached the current lingo of their era, right or wrong. The Pharisees are likened to the current church leaderships at the highest level. Both give it their best shot from the perspective of what they have been taught, but both twist the meaning to accomplish their goals. If one would only look at what is written without a pre conceived opinion (conformational bias) they would arrive at a better conclusion. Not picking on anyone, but just because a church has a lot of members does not make it correct, except in their own eyes. The deceivers have been around since Jesus was here (common man did not persecute Jesus, the established religious organizations, backed by Satan killed Him). And I just saw on TV that one of the major religious organizations approved of acts that Jesus said was an abomination. Just because man approves of an act, either denying 4th Commandment or approving of a Biblical abomination…….does not make it right with GOD.
Study to show thyself approved….don’t just accept what you hear…study on your own.
A prime example: churches all over America celebrate Good Friday as the date Jesus died…and Easter Sunday as the day HE arose…..thereby ignoring what Jesus said….that HE would be in the tomb 3 days and 3 nights. Where’s the 3 rd night ? Study !!!!
Shalom Bob
Bob:
First, thanks for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time and trying to be helpful.
Why did I remove parts of your comment? It’s nothing personal… I simply don’t want to promote things I believe are in error. You and I can discuss our disagreement here, like responsible adults, but I really don’t want my readers to be distracted by references to people I don’t think they should be listening to. I’m not upset or anything, of course.
I definitely approve of your recommendation that people study these topics for themselves. That’s a primary mission here at GodWords: not that people should believe ME, but that they should be like the Bereans and compare whatever they hear with what God has said in His Word. Questions are good, if we’re willing to check Scripture for the answers. Now, back to your actual comment!
Sunday is not the sabbath. Neither is Saturday. Seventh-day worship was commanded by God in His covenant with the ancient Israelites. That covenant didn’t include the Egyptians, or the Chaldeans, or the Chinese, or the Canadians… and it certainly didn’t include you or me. We have our own, better covenant. Let’s stick with that one. You might check out Romans 14:5, where we see that sabbaths are optional. According to God’s Word, it’s okay for you to believe that you should worship on Saturday… and it’s okay for me to believe that I should worship every day. When God gives a command, it’s not optional… so, according to the New Testament, sabbath-keeping is not a matter of obedience. You might also check out Why Don’t Christians Observe the Original Sabbath, or What is the Edict of Milan. You may find that some of what you’ve been taught simply isn’t so.
So much great information! I read through all the comments and your responses.
Thanks. Tony!
Blessings,
Rena
Thanks, Rena!
I don’t see:
Todd Friel
Gary Hamrick
Craig Groeshel.
What list would they be on?
Hi Joan! Thanks for asking.
This list has teachers I’ve spent a fair amount of time listening to. I like Todd Friel, but I wouldn’t consider most of his stuff to be teaching the Bible. It’s more like what I do: responding to questions about bad teaching, exposing false teachers, and so on. I would have no problem putting him on the list.
I don’t know Gary Hamrick. He’s a Calvary Chapel guy, and they tend to be pretty solid.
Craig Groeschel, on the other hand, is not someone I can recommend. His mentor was false teacher Myles Munroe. He works with other false teachers like Christine Caine, Steven Furtick, Joel Osteen, and others. He’s also closely associated with the New Apostolic Reformation and promotes the Passion Bible. I haven’t collected any quotes of him teaching falsely, but it’s clear that his associations with false teachers show – at best – that he lacks any sort of biblical discernment.
Does that answer your question? Do my answers surprise you in any way?
Yes!Thank you!
I was very happy to stumble onto your site. There are so many pastors calling one another false teachers that it gets confusing. You confirmed my thoughts about many names on both lists. It is a great resource to have when wanting to listen to credible teachers. I appreciate your work in providing this information, and your quick response delighted me.
May God bless you and your work for the Kingdom.
I’m happy to help, Joan… let me know if there’s more I can do for you. Have a great day!
Thank you so much for the list I knew almost all of them. I’m so glad to have found one that was made a list I was starting to make my own. My ex pastor would definitely be on that list of false profits. I’m just praying for him. It’s really bad cause himself and apostle. He loves attention so much more I could go on and on, but I want at this time. I just pray for him. These false preachers take my breath away.