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First time here? We think it's important you know something about our purpose, approach, and values.
As you may know, apologetics is the intelligent presentation and defense of the historical Christian faith.
We also examine false doctrines, false prophets and teachers, spiritual abuse and abusive churches, as well as religious cults and sects.
We encourage Christians to grow in spiritual discernment.
And whether you're a Christian, or have not yet met Jesus Christ, we hope you will learn about Grace and Mercy — two gifts that set Christianity apart from any other religion.
Apologetics Index Updates
Hermeneutics: The 8 Rules of Biblical Interpretation - One of our most popular articles right now
The Bible teaches that all Christians should grow in spiritual discernment. Here's how to do that.
Encouraging development: Some churches will no longer sing or play Bethel or Hillsong music
CultDefinition.com — one of our companion websites — explains the definition of a cult
[Updated and expanded]
Youth With A Mission is an international, Christian missions "movement." It's "family of ministries" operates around the world. Yet YWAM has no headquarters, no Board of Directors, and no central leadership. It's missions are said to be "independent."
As MinistryWatch recently reported, YWAM's unique non-structured structure lacks the standard management, governance, and accountability functions that most ministries rely on to assess and address problems.
And problems there are. While YWAM does a lot of good work, there are ongoing reports of spiritual abuse. Not only that, but the 'movement' also has a troublesome theology.
Discernment is the act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment.
The Bible teaches that Christians ought to grow in discernment, the ability to distinguish truth from error.
The same reasoning that develops a five-fold ministry doctrine from Ephesians 4:11 could develop a seven-fold or eight-fold ministry doctrine from other scripture verses.
These five apologetic methodologies do not constitute an exhaustive list of approaches to Christian apologetic. They do represent, however, the most well-known and popular argumentative strategies in the scholarly apologetics community.
Accelerationism is an ideology espoused by white supremacist hate groups and individuals. They believe that the white race is at risk, and that there is no political solution.
Therefore they attempt to accelerate the collapse of government and society through acts of violence, with the aim to rebuild on the basis of white power.
Shincheonji Church of Jesus members believe founder and leader Lee Man-hee is the appointed successor (or the Second Coming) of Jesus Christ.
Theologically it is a cult of Christianity. Sociologically it has some cultlike characteristics as well.
Pastored by 'apostle' Bill Johnson, Bethel Church in Redding, California is an influential church in the so-called New Apostolic Reformation (NAR).
The NAR is a heterodox movement in Protestant Christianity in which people follow present-day apostles and prophets who claim to govern the church and give new divine revelation that is needed to set up God's kingdom on earth.
Bethel's teachings and practices also identify the church as part of the equally problematic Word-Faith Movement.
» Update: A Biblical Response to Bethel Church's Attempts to Raise a Two-Year-Old Child, Olive, From the Dead.
October 8, 2021: House of Yahweh cult leader Yisrayl Hawkins, who claimed he would never die, dead at 87.
Over the years many members have fled the cult. Hawkins ex-wife Kay Hawkins, who was excommunicated in 1994, wrote a book about her experience.
Since Christ's sacrifice for believers is said to suffice for our cleansing for sin, making animal sacrifices unnecessary, some people see the description of millennial sacrifices in Ezekiel 40-48 as contradicting New Testament teaching about the finality and sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice on the cross.
People leaving the church we pastor (or in which we otherwise serve) to attend a different one is often a test of our personal maturity and the orthopraxy of our church's ministry.
Cults and abusive churches hurt people as they transition to a different church. Biblical churches do not.
