Discernment
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I exhort you,
brothers, to watch out for those
who cause divisions and temptations
contrary to the teaching which you have learned;
and stay away from them.
Rom 16:17
T he List
Who are (highly) problematic teachers we have to be aware of?
This very comprehensive, but at the same time highly condensed booklet aggregates what more than 3000 linked articles reveal about currently 215 problematic teachers, movements & organizations, and cults & religions of our modern day. It also reflects on some historical figures that influenced Christianity decisively for the bad. The list intents to put an end to time-consuming, widely scattered and complex discernment, and to be a one-stop source to be shared with those being under the influence of false teaching.
Very few readers will not be challenged through this list! Prepare yourself prayerfully! May the Lord take any prejudice, pride and veil away, and give you strength to separate spiritually and in practical ways from false teachers. Once being edified, then consider this non-exhaustive list also as a prayer list - ask God to reveal the full truth to those teachers still alive and to lead them to be a good influence in the future. Very few will actually change, but one converted teacher alone can influence thousands or even millions.
- A Personal Note -
Why do I dedicate part of this ministry to discernment? Formerly, I would have rather seen discernment as something unbiblical, unloving and unnecessary. But my first years in North American churches and the deeper study of His Word changed this dramatically.
Little did I know when looking before my departure from Colombia (South America) for a church in Vancouver (Canada), that God would send me into one of the most spiritually fallen cities of the western world, where not long ago the infamous Message 'Bible' was written, and once the infamous Hinn family settled and entertains part of their ministry until today.
I joined a major church that propagates the Prosperity Gospel, a concept I had previously not even heard of in my younger years in Europe. After then leading in several ministries and managing the construction of a church campus, God opened my eyes through a popular (curiously enough Calvinist) documentary on the Prosperity Gospel, to leave soon after for good. The second experience involved a Pentecostal church with beautiful fellowship, but where Past Salvation was strongly connected to the gift of tongues I do not possess, and where I was once gently nudged backwards during a prayer and refused to fall into the hands of a waiting catcher. In the following months I regularly visited churches that preach Calvinism and at the same time promote Catholic mysticism, two opposing concepts I also never heard of, but soon discovered being strongly unbiblical. Each departure was accompanied by an urgent warning from God - but to my puzzlement preceded by God's unmistaken encouragement to join the respective church. Previously a mystery for me - now having become clear in the benefit of this ministry.
God had me attend since my childhood Independent, Evangelical Free, Mennonite, Pentecostal and Calvinist churches in Germany (~1981-1998), Colombia (2012-2017) and Canada (2017 - today). The overall result is now a traditionally minded Christian who is pro-church but no longer associated with any particular denomination. I am grateful for this diversity of training and experience, that helped me to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of various (not-so) Christian traditions.
I initially set up in 2019 an anonymous website that is still active today, but had in those early days of discernment a surprisingly real spiritual warfare - with sleepless nights and much prayer. I was honestly scared how hard the enemy attacked my efforts and had to occasionally pause this part of my ministry for several weeks, in order to gather mental strength.
Then finally in 2022, I took the courage to merge both ministries by adding this section, and to consecutively add discernment on Books, Movies and Music I previously listed without having the sufficient discernment. It was a difficult journey and I had to develop certain mechanisms in order to protect myself from spiritual harm. I sometimes lamented why He assigned me this burdensome part of my ministry, but I am now grateful to have acquired this knowledge & even wisdom, while not becoming bitter or hateful at the same time, but simply seeing this evil as a part of God's masterplan. I pray that you may benefit from this knowledge - and love your brothers and sisters (and leaders!) enough in order to share this discernment when you see them falling prey to those problematic teachers and / or movements.
Excerpt from the previous list - Why Mainstream Judaism has little to nothing to do with biblical Judaism -
Identification of False Teachers
But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Heb 5:14
... you are not able to tolerate evil, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you found them to be false. Rev 2:2
How do we distinguish good from evil? How do we identify problematic teachers? What are some good techniques / principles that help us discern?
Do never suppose
that someone can be trusted
because he teaches a great deal of truth,
but includes unsound views. Such a teacher
is precisely the one to do you harm. Poison
is always most dangerous when
mixed with wholesome food.
T ypes Of False Teachers
What does the Bible say about the different types of false teachers? Learn about the characteristics and biblical descriptions of Abusers, Anti-Christs, Charlatans, Dividers, False Prophets, Heretics, Prosperity / Word-Of-Faith Teachers, Speculators and Ticklers.
My brothers,
if anyone among you
should wander away from the truth
and someone turns him back, he should
know that the one who turns a sinner back from
the error of his way will save that person's
soul from death, and will cover over
a great number of sins.
Jam 5:19-20
Other Discernment Ministers
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Please contact me for the inclusion of your materials (if you are a discernment minister), or for additions, updates on repented teachers, and corrections (all readers).
Problematic Teachers found in the list above: Andrew Wommack, Andy Stanley, Art Lucier, Barry Wunsch, Benny Hinn (Toufik Benedictus Hinn), Beth Moore, Bill Hybel, Bill Johnson, Billy Graham (William Franklin Graham Jr.), Brandan Robertson, Brian Houston, Brian Simmons, Brother Lawrence, Carolina Leaf, Charles Spurgeon, Charlie Shamp, Che Ahn, Christine Caine, Chuck D. Pierce, Cindy Jacobs, Creflo Dollar, C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard, Danielle Strickland, Darrell W. Johnson, David Mohsen Demian, David John Stewart, David Olaniyi Oyedepo, Dick Deweert, Doreen Virtue, Doug Addison, Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Eric Metaxas, Eugene Hoiland Peterson, Faytene Grasseschi, Father Louis, Frank Schäfer, Francis Chan, Francis Collins, Franklin Graham, Gino Jennings, Glenda Dube, Guillermo Maldonado, Hank Kunneman, Heidi Baker, Henry Hinn, Henri Nouwen, Hugh Ross, Israel Houghton, Jack Hayford, Jackie Hill Perry, James M. Rochford, James W. Goll, Jean-Luc Trachsel, Jen Hatmaker, Jeremiah Johnson, Jerry Falwell Jr., Jesse Duplantis, Jim Bakker, Jim Wallis, Jocye Meyer, J. K. Rowling, Joel Scott Osteen, Johannes Hartl, John Bevere, John Mark Comer, John MacArthur, John Ortberg, Jordan Peterson, Joseph Prince (Xenonamander Jegahusiee Singh), Kathryn Krick, Kathryn Kuhlman, Kat Kerr (Katharine Nancy Brahtin), Keith Ferrate, Kenneth Hagin, Ken Blanchard, Ken Shigematsu, Kenneth Max Copeland, Kevin Zadai, Kim Clement, Kris Vallotton, Lance Wallnau, Len Lindstrom, Levi Lusko, Lisa Bevere, Lou Engle, Marcus Rogers, Marianne Williamson, Mark Discroll, Max Lucado, Michael W. Smith, Mike Bickle, Mike Todd, Mother Teresa, Myles Munroe, Patricia King (aka Pat Cocking / Patricia CoKing), Pat Robertson, Paula White-Cain, Peter Scazzero, Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio), Ralph Reed, Rene McIntyre, René Wagner, Reinhard Hirtler, Revoice Movement, Richard Foster, Richard Rohr, Rick Godwin, Rick Joyner, Rick Warren, Robert Jeffress, Robert Morris, Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj, Salvatore Sapienza, Sam Adeyemi, Shawn Boltz, Sid Roth, Sydney Abraham Rothbaum, Stacey Campbell, Steven Anderson, Steve Ciccolanti, Steve Schultz, T.D. Jakes, Teresa de Avila, Thomas Dexter Jakes, Thomas Merton, Timothy Keller, Tim Mackie, Todd Bentley, Todd White, Tomi Arayomi, Tracey Cooke, Uwe Schäfer, Wayne Grudem, William Barclay, William Lane Craig.
Movements: Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders (ACPE), Catholic Mysticism, Contemplative Prayer, Dominionism, Eastern Mysticism, Emerging Church, Enneagram, He Gets Us, Jesus Only Movement, Kansas City Prophets, Latter Rain Movement, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), Prosperity Gospel, Revoice, Seven Mountain Mandate, Word of Faith.
Organizations: 24-7 Prayer, The Alpha Course, Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps (ACMTC), Bethel Church, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM), Canadian Church Leaders Network (CCLN), Gebetshaus Augsburg, Global Leadership Summit (GLS), The Gospel Coalition (TGC), International House of Prayer (IHOP), Oral Roberts University, Practicing The Way, Regent College Vancouver, Renovaré.
Cults & Religions: Anglo-Catholic Church, Anthroposophy, Baha'i, Black Mass, Buddhism, Calvinism, Catholicism, Children of God, Christadelphians, Christian Science, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Church of Recovery, Confucianism, Dawn Bible Students, Divine Light Mission, Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, Freemasonry, Gurus, Hare Krishna, Hinduism, Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, Inner Peace Movement, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, Leeist Movement, Living Stream Ministries, Lord's Recovery, Manichaeism, Moonies, Mormons, New Age, One World Crusade, Oneness Pentecostals, Pentecostalism, Perennialism, Presbyterian Church, Rally Of Hope, Religious Science, Rosicrucianism, Scientology, Seventh Day Adventists (SDA), Shintoism, Spiritual Frontiers Fellowship, Spiritualism, Theosophy, Transcendental Meditation, The Family Of Love, The Local Church, Unification Theological Seminary, Unification Church, Unification Movement, Unificationists, Universal Peace Federation, Unitarianism, Universalism.
Historical Figures: Augustine of Hippo, John Calvin, King Henry VIII, Mani, Martin Luther, Origen, Rabbi Akiva ben Yosef.