We Need Discernment Ministries? Yes Absolutely!

I stumbled upon this gem over at Apprising Ministries that was penned in 2005 by G. Richard Fisher of Personal Freedom Outreach. Ken Silva ran across Fisher’s piece and posted it on AM in 2011. In it Fisher presents his view of why discernment ministries are necessary. For example, discernment ministries like AM and PFO (and Berean Research) hammer home the fact that the Word of Faith movement is not biblical Christianity — it is a theological cult.  WoF “may superficially speak of Christ,” says Fisher, “but their Christology of a born-again Jesus who suffered in hell, denies the Christ of the Bible and is rank heresy. Using Christian words and defining them in non-Christian ways is the essence of deception and cultism.”

With this background in mind, listen as Richard Fisher argues why online apologetics and discernment ministries are important. He writes:

In a day of pluralism and tolerance, apologetic and discernment ministries are viewed by some as antiquated, unneeded, and in the way of getting together and getting along.

In a day when unity is put far above truth, counter-cult ministries are seen as passé and even obstructionist.

Televangelists and Word Faith teachers can draw tens of thousands to their meetings while discernment confer­ences struggle to get a hundred. Truth, clear thinking, and biblical precision are definitely not in, and heresies are gaining popularity. Orthodoxy is out and false doctrine is in vogue.

Of course, there are many reasons for this: Men love darkness rather than light. We have an unseen enemy who goes about like a roaring lion. And liberalism has so eroded confidence in Scripture that many are turning to mysticism and experience. Subjectivism is the drug of choice. Many of the religious are addicted to their own adrenaline.

Truth be known, the deception is getting deeper and more subtle. This only underscores the need for organi­zations such as Personal Freedom Outreach. Someone needs to sound the alarm. Without discernment minis­tries, who will do it?

The evangelical Church has tried so hard to be relevant to the world that it is becoming irrelevant. Rather than compromise with the dominant culture, we need to stand more strongly for our distinctives and distinctiveness.

The Apostle Paul warned us in 2 Timothy 3 that deception would be as alluring and impressive as the magicians of Moses’ day (v. 8). The antidote, Paul says, is to carefully follow doctrine (v. 10), but few are listening. Paul further warns that “evil men and seducers will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (v. 13).

Deception has multiple masks. Deception is hard to spot. Deception is covered with religious clichés de­signed to deceive and that is why we need all the help we can get from those with discernment. Deceivers are tricky and most times wear disguises. Deceivers may even say they believe in Jesus, so we fail to stay alert to what they layer onto the name of Jesus. Some may not even ask, “Which Jesus?”

Take, for instance, the following testimony. Read it slowly and see if you can find anything wrong with it…  Continue reading

Be sure to take a look at our White Paper on Discernment.

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14 Responses to We Need Discernment Ministries? Yes Absolutely!

  1. Jane Wright June 10, 2017 at 3:20 pm #

    Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ ~ I am one who is so very thankful for the discernment ministries whose objective is to keep us on the straight and narrow path of God’s truth. I came out of some false teaching based on the JW so-called revelation and was delivered with much information a friend shared with me. However, then I got involved in Word Faith ministries based on Christian TV networks. In 2004 someone suggested I look into a number of discernment ministries. I did and from that point on much of my life has been spent on line with a Bible beside me to seek and check everything I was given. I also prayed constantly to the Father to keep me from deception each and every day. Discernment ministries have, by the grace of God, been a life saver for me – a real treasure that I would not trade for anything the world has to offer. May God continue to bless all of you until we are all in His presence.

  2. Manny1962 June 10, 2017 at 3:50 pm #

    Jane,

    May our Holy God be a light unto your feet, may you never stumble as you reach for Him! May He be a comfort and a strong tower in your day of need! Jane, as the day for Jesus’ return grows closer expect deceit, an explosion in false teaching and false teachers, many are already denying the Name of Christ, many are attacking the veracity of scripture and many are following those that propagate error, wrecking the faith of many and troubling them in spirit! This was foretold to happen! Remember, our only protection is The Lord! Please pray incessantly and keep reading your bible daily! We are living in dark days that will get even darker, many that name Christ will be ths first to turn on you for standing up for Him!

  3. Tim June 11, 2017 at 3:14 am #

    Such a great article and extremely vivid illustrations as well as applications of destructive heresies woven into Christian orthodoxy!!

    Wow I so agree true discernment ministries are the greatest ministries because the so called church is so toxic and diseased!!

    We need to support true discernment ministries for our own sakes for the preservation of our spiritual health

    Also it says in Thessalonians thatcit would be Gid sendingcthese delusioons so they would believe a lie!!

    That’s even scarier for it’s a judgment of spiritual death. For who can undo what What God has done!!

    Yes !! I will support this ministry with prayers and finances !! Thank you so much for sounding the alarm so clearly!!

  4. Sheryl June 11, 2017 at 6:57 pm #

    I’m content to be in the “few” who have discernment. That means that God has chosen to reveal Himself to me. By the grace of God, I am not in the herd of goats who have “itching ears” to be tickled, heaping false teachers unto myself. Some false teachers seem to be losing their subtly and becoming much more blatant and bold. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right.” It strikes me how long this has been going on and how many people are deceived by not “almost right,” but by obviously wrong. Some are tricky, yes, speaking half-truths, but others seem to revel in their absurdities. It indicates to me how deception has progressively worsened since this article was written. Its the same as in the secular world – evil has become strikingly less restrained and emboldened.

    • Manny1962 June 11, 2017 at 8:25 pm #

      Amen Sheryl, it is perplexing how so many that purport to follow Christ are so blinded by the fallacies that are fed to them! I know God is separating His from Churchianity, that is evident! As foretold the Great Apostasy is unfurling before our eyes. You’re right, things have progressively gotten worse in the last couple of years! The world is primed to receive the false prophet and the antichrist. Today the wolves are n the open, they no longer hide or are relagated to tiny groups with cult-like followers! No, today they’re in the mega-churches with attendance in the thousands! Is it any wonder how a patently obvious huckster like Benny Hinn is operating today as if he’s a godly man? Or a more sublime wolf like Warren deceiving thousands all over the world? How???? They’re doing the devil’s work! They belong to him and this world wide system is ruled by him. God will ntensify this blindness when He sends “a string delusion” so those that want to follow the devil will do so enthusiastically!

  5. james June 12, 2017 at 9:54 am #

    Jane, Manny is right on target!. Speaking of Christian TV Networks (I might as well add Christian Radio Networks) sadly, most only care “If the check clears the bank” I have never seen so much false teachings/teachers, as I do today. Not just Word-Faith, but there is growing number of anti-Trinitarian- – Un-Orthodox cults airing their programs all over these networks. Here is one example, among many. SALEM Christian Radio Networks, is airing many anti-Trinitarian programs/organizations. Why is this? SALEM will have articles, on their sites warning of false teachers/teachings, yet at the same time air false teachers and their teachings. I know of at least five anti-Trinitarisan’s airing on SALEM. Many Christians have been duped by these cults. Perhaps one of these programs is airing in your area on your local Christian radio station? I know of one Christian radio network, that require all of it’s programmers to agree in their “doctrinal statement” Sadly, this network is airing the anti-Trinitarian Ronald L. Dart. Why is this?

    As a Christian, my concern is that by airing programs of organizations, when examined more closely are actually cultic and unorthodox, people are deceived. This deception is enhanced when programs to promote their ministry are placed among well-known Evangelical ministers and ministries.

    There is relationship of trust between Christians and Christian Radio/TV stations that the programs they air are produced by groups that at least meet the basic criteria of Christianity. Otherwise, we will soon have more anti-Trinitarians, and other unorthodox organizations using Christian stations to draw unsuspecting listeners into their folds.

    http://www.fredsbibletalk.com/fb018.html

    https://www.9marks.org/article/when-why-where-to-draw-boundaries/

  6. james June 12, 2017 at 9:59 am #

    Sorry Jane, I was typing to fast and added a word to 9 Marks link. Here is the correct link:

    https://www.9marks.org/article/when-why-where-draw-boundaries/

  7. lyn June 12, 2017 at 12:15 pm #

    Be leary of the ‘nine marks’ agenda, it’s more legalistic than it is biblical. Grudem, Dever and others are more along the lines of Pharisees. Many in the ‘Reformed’ camp have issues, such as pride, arrogance, and abuse of the ‘authority’ they think they have.

    • james June 12, 2017 at 7:07 pm #

      yes, they have some issuers, but the article is a good read.

  8. kat June 13, 2017 at 6:50 pm #

    Yes, thank God for the discernment ministries. They are very much needed in these last of the last days we are living in. But I just pray more Pastors sound out warnings that are preaching sound biblical doctrine. But sadly, many Pastors are promoting contemplative prayer, mysticism, WOF, but like I said , there are Pastors out there that do preach biblically, although even these seem to be less and less in number. All the signs are here that God’s Word told us to look out for. I pray the spiritual blinders will be taken off of more people because time is surely running out fast.
    Everything taking place is setting in place for the Antichrist and False Prophet to come on the scene.
    God Bless You All

    • Manny1962 June 13, 2017 at 8:28 pm #

      Amen Kat, amen! The times truly is short! How close are we? I read an article yesterday in a reputable economic publication that Putin is working with a company called Ethereum

  9. Manny1962 June 13, 2017 at 8:31 pm #

    Oops got cut off!

    Putin working with Ethereum to produce Russia’s first virtual currency…… All the signs are there! Economically, politically and religiously!

  10. kat June 13, 2017 at 8:59 pm #

    very interesting and thanks Manny for posting. Amen and Amen !! Yes ! Economically, politically and religiously ! Very well said. I totally agree with you.
    God Bless

  11. michael June 21, 2017 at 1:41 am #

    God bless you! Just joined up and am saying Yes, Lord, thank you!
    Finally apparantly a place with some like-minded believers.
    Too often I’ve felt like (and been accused of being) someone who
    just causes division or wants to argue or ‘be right’ , but it’s not about that at all!

    Our Lord was all about love AND truth, and you really don’t have one without the other. I know I need to learn how to season my words with grace a little more, but
    so much of what goes on has me banging my head against the proverbial wall, and I just dont get why so many otherwise seemingly intelligent christians seem so willing to compromise or unwilling to stand up and defend the Truth.

    When you look at some of the language Jesus used,
    Im convinced the equivilent of it today would get him kicked out of many of the chatforums and churches that even have His name on them!

    God bless the discernment ministries like this, I sure hope I can learn and contribute, to help others avoid deception, for Jesus’ sake and glory. Not by our own might or power, but by His Spirit, and in prayer and armor.

    The verse about being put out of the ‘synagogues’ (and churches, websites, and public places) by those thinking they’re doing God a favor, weighs heavy, but if it happens, we’re in good company, so be of good cheer. Look what Jesus went through for us, and them too.

    Yes, He spoke pretty harshly sometimes, to, and about, pharisees, compromisers, false teachers, etc., but He still loved them. (But man, this is hard, lol) But our Lord Jesus, The Truth, and His body, is worth it. God bless you.

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