On January 21st in Los Angeles, author and “prophet” Shawn Bolz will teach hundreds of children to close their eyes, listen for “God’s voice,” and write down what He says. The event at Glendale Baptist Church costs $50 per child. Below is a short, shocking promotional video in which Bolz instructs the children to close their eyes and listen for God’s voice.
“If you don’t hear anything, it’s okay, you’re trying. That’s the biggest thing. You’re trying to engage with God.”
Then he does a prophetic prediction for a girl in the audience named Kaylee, who Bolz says is going to do great things for God. “Wow, God does speak and He knows things about you.”
To top it off, he leads kids in an “activation,” through a Listening Prayer he has taught them. “If you hear something, I want you to write it down.” That’s called “automatic writing,” and it’s a New Age channeling technique used by Beth Moore, Sarah Young (Jesus Calling), and others.
https://vimeo.com/180952916
Says Bolz:
One of the reasons why we are doing this workshop is because I was raised by parents who believed in my ability to hear God and nurtured it. I was raised in an environment of empowerment and I want to help kids believe in their authority to hear God’s voice with a friendship perspective on how to relate to him!
The event is based on Bolz’s new book for children launching Nov. 22: Growing Up with God: Everyday Adventures of Hearing God’s Voice. Here’s how the Bethel Redding bookstore describes it:
From Shawn Bolz, author of Translating God, comes an emotionally intelligent and spiritually relevant story that equips youth of all ages to tap into God’s heart and hear His voice in their lives. Shawn has taken his gift of teaching on the prophetic and presents it in a way that children of all ages can experience how God is not limited by our age. When He speaks, everyone gets to hear Him and see powerful and wonderful things happen through their faith. This book was created to work alongside the Growing Up with God Workbook, which can be used by individuals or Sunday school groups.
And what if the child doesn’t hear God speaking directly to them? I can tell you from personal experience; Despair. Feeling unworthy. Feeling that God does not love that child. As a parent, I have had to repent of allowing this kind of teaching to infect my own child, and I can tell you it is very difficult to undo the spiritual damage.
Who is Shawn Bolz?
Endorsed and taught by New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) granddaddy C. Peter Wagner, Bolz is known widely as a “prophet” who can predict the future in a “thus sayeth the Lord” kind of way:
- Bolz taught, ministered, mentored, and prophesied at Metro Christian Fellowship with Mike Bickle in the ‘90s, and in the early 2000s he joined the International House of Prayer in Kansas City.
- His book, Translating God: Hearing God’s voice for yourself and the world around you, promises that, “IT’S TIME TO BE ACTIVATED! WHEN WE COMBINE OUR LOVE OF PROPHECY AND PEOPLE WE RESHAPE HEARTS WITH HEAVEN.”
- In April, Bolz took the stage at the heretical Azusa Now “revival” to do prophetic cold readings (parlor tricks) using his smart phone.
His new book is no doubt going to be popular this Christmas. Because what mommy or daddy doesn’t want their kid to grow up being rich and famous?
Growing Up with God is the story of Maria and Lucas, two best friends who are on the journey of discovering themselves in the very normal, but also epic journey of hearing from God’s heart. Maria has a life-changing moment at Summer Camp when she hears from God for the first time. He tells her something beyond belief, that she is going to be an actor! And not in 20 years as an adult, she can pursue her acting career now!
Parents: open your Bible. Read it to your kids. Scripture is the only holy Word of God they should be “hearing.” Teaching them to listen for extra-biblical voices you attribute to God is very wrong and very dangerous. Oh, they may hear a voice, but it won’t be God’s. He has already spoken to us in His breathed-out eternal Word, according to Hebrews 1:1-3.
Six verses that remind us to teach our children Scripture:
1. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
2. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words that I give you today. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re at home or away, when you lie down or get up. Write them down, and tie them around your wrist, and wear them as headbands as a reminder. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
3. Deuteronomy 4:9-10 “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.”
4. Matthew 19:13-15 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.
5. 1 Timothy 4:10-11 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.
6. Deuteronomy 11:19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
Please see these resources:
White Papers: Dominionism (NAR), New Age, Occult – Sorcery, Contemplative Prayer
It’s bad enough when false teachers try and influence adults, but children? Jesus says it’s better if a millstone were tied to their neck than to hurt a child, these degenerates are headed for a deep dark pit.
I guarantee you that Paul would have done it for only $39.99 if they register 10 days before the meeting, and but at least one T-Shirt or CD.
2 Peter 2:1-4
2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
***”buy” at least one T-shirt or cd 🙂
If I grasped the initial and pursuant train of objection, is the premise being set forth here, that the Lord (the Holy Spirit, the Counselor and Comforter) does NOT speak to His people directly, in whatever manner or language He chooses?
And in God’s Word, come these words from Paul to the Hebrews:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
~ Hebrew 13:8
And Jesus Himself declared:
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
~ John 8:58
As the Lord spoke to Isaiah in “a still, small voice” yesterday, he continues to through the Holy Spirit today, insofar as Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;:
1 Corinthians 12:8
I have no intention of taking any issue, for or against, Mr. Bolz. But to (try to) put God in a box by saying He ONLY speaks to us (today) through scripture is completely false, at best. And to not hear the Lord, the Holy Spirit, speak into YOUR spirit, especially during your quiet time with the Lord, is to miss out on SO much that He has to say to you.
The experiential is real and for today, to be embraced and walked out WITH DISCRETION AND WISDOM, always testing BY the scriptures. For if the experiential were not real AND for today, then none of the gifts of the Spirit would be operant. And, truly, they are.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
~ Jeremiah 29:13
So, be in the Word, preferably every day.
But also, LISTEN. Jesus spoke to His disciples and the people and exhorted them to listen. Only after He ascended was the Lord, the Holy Spirit, sent. Should we not continue to listen?
†
Hi Matt,
I can tell you thought, God directly speaking is VERY rare. in 29 years of being a Christian I can only say God spoke to me outside His word, or a church sermon, four times that I can count. Its not all the time, its certainly not every moment. And those times He did speak, 1) was to warn me about someone involved in this movement 2) was to buy a book for someone to give to them 3) was to become friends with someone 4) was to tell me someone was not hearing from God and giving false prophecies. THAT IS IT. I pray a lot about a great many things, but God is not an active channel you can “tap into”. He tells you what you need to know, when you need to know it- but constantly speaking- nope.
Yes… and whatever we hear we need to compare it to scripture to see if it was the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ… or that false holy spirit of the devil.
The Lord said the Holy Spirit would lead us into all Truth and He said God’s Word is Truth… most of these folks don’t know God’s Word, therefore they cannot possibly be teaching truth.
What do you mean by channeling God? By hearing something and then writing it down so you can both remember and examine it, this is evil?
I may not hear from God constantly, but His Holy Spirit speaks to me and directs my life on a regular basis. This is a promise in the Bible, John 16:13, that the Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”
Jesus told his Father in John 17:17 that truth…is his word, not the vain imaginations of our hearts, which are desperately wicked and above all deceitful according to Jeremiah (Sorry Eldridge). Romans 7 proves that Paul still struggled mightily with the flesh even as perhaps the greatest apostle. If he didn’t trust his flesh, why should we trust ourselves or some hipster taking our cash, to tell us we are hearing the voice of God. Two scriptures come to mind:
2 Peter 1:17-20
17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
**We now have a more sure word of prophecy than even a voice from heaven…it is called the Bible. Let’s stick with that over trusting our flesh to hear from God, when he has already spoken, and clearly, in 66 books.
2 Peter 2: 1-3
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
***Privily, Bolz, Bil johnson etc. are making merchandise of you by packaging, marketing, and selling the fake Jesus they preach. It is nothing but wickedness. Freely we have received, freely we should give, just as Paul rebuked the man who tried to buy the Holy Spirit(can’t remember his name), hearing from the Spirit cannot be bought or sold…unless you are buying a Bible.
The problem is that “truth” becomes subjective, emotional and seems to comport with whatever seems to meet our fleshly needs. I do think that we all feel promtings in the spirit, to act in accordance with actual real scripture, but this whole movement to listen to God is associated with pagan and occultic philosophy, and there is only a cursory attempt to test what is hear with the word…yet Paul tells us to test everything, prove everything. Asking a guy charging us $50 if what we heard is truly from God is sick, dangerous and unbiblical. Eat, Breathe, and drink the eternal word of God, and do not trust your heart.
It continuously amazes me the fear so many christians have toward the spirit realm and the mystical ways of God. Jesus told his disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and a lot more. He even said My sheep know MY voice and the voice of another they will not follow. Theres more to this christian life than you or i or anyone else realizes, and just because you cant understand it or dont agree with it doesnt mean it isnt biblical. I dont know everything about God and His ways, and neither does anyone else on here. God has given each one of us revelation of who He is, so take it and use it to help others instead of tearing each other down. Because the world will never want what we have if all they see is constant arguing and strife between children of God.
So blatant, unscriptural practices are OK as long as they’re done in a non-judgemental loving manner? Mysticism which is nothing more than man’s way to interpret the “supernatural” or reach out to a deity is c!early and roundly refuted in scripture. Jesus Christ clearly teaches us how to commune with Him, and it’s nothing like what Mr. Bolz teaches. The sheep knowing The Master’s voice is nothing akin to channeling The Lord. Jesus told the disciples to do those miracles in order to authenticate their authority amongst the unbelieving public. It was the beginning of the church and these were authentication signs to prove their authority. I have yet to see anyone bring back someone from the dead yet. What is happening right now acrosss the globe refutes Wagner, the NAR and any so called apostle. I wouldn’t let my child anywhere near this. Nothing more than man attempting to dictate how God should behave toward us.But again. What I see here is the “don’t judge” syndrome.
Well said Manny. God can do anything…but what I see in these false churches are lying signs and wonders, as the scriptures tell us we would see at the end. Todd White does the well known fake leg extension, misdirection trick to just about everyone. The focuse is not on the biblical Jesus but on these cherasmstic liars who tickle our itching ears. It’s all emotional hysteria with some serious demonic manifestations.
I’m sorry but you guys have no idea what you are talking about. Todd White is one of the most genuine Jesus preachers there is. All he talks about is Jesus. Everyone he talks to on the street only hear the name Jesus.
You are taking scirptures and throwing them around. What about Mark 16: “these signs shall follow those who believe….” If you call yourself a believer those are the signs that should be following you. I do not read: these signs shall follow you, my apostels for a short time to set up my kingdom here on earth and then shall cease until my return. We should do the will of God for our lives. And what is the will of God? Jesus his life. Jesus said clearly that He came to do the will of God and that when the people saw Him, they sas the Father, because Jesus and the Father are one. Jesus walked out the life we are supposed to live and even said that he who believes would do what he did and even greater things (John 14:12). You are a believer right?
My husband broke his wrist as a boy and the doctors told him he needed surgery on it when he became an adult where they would have to break the other bone bacause one was shorter than the other and reconstruct his hand. He prayed this past sunday for his hand because he does not want surgery and his hand causes him pain. The fist time he prayed he felt his hand click 4x and he felt the bone strech, but it still hurt, he prayed a second time and it clicked 3x but again, still hurt. Then he prayed a 3rd time and it clicked once. He checked his hand and the pain he has felt for 10+ years is completely gone, Jesus healed him.
My mom has had a gluten alergy for years and her joints would swell up, she would get a runny nose, her hair would fall out, her whole body would hurt like she had been beat up and her face would break out completely every time she ate anything with gluten in it. A few months ago I was praying and I got on my heart to tell her that the moment she felt a heat wave through her body that that would be the sign she is healed. So we prayed with her many times and she didn’t feel anything. One day she held he Bible in her hands and cried out saying:’Lord Your Word is true, and it says that by Your stripes I am healed Jesus!’ The moment she said that she felt the heatwave go through her body. She is now eating gluten and none of her symptoms came back. She is healed.
My 2yo son woke up one night burning hot, I prayed with him and said ‘fever leave his body in Jesus name’, and his body immediately cooled down.
I had nerve damage in my lower back and if it would flare up it would take months before the pain was fully gone. I got it really bad, almosy passed out and started praying for it. I prayed multiple times a day and in two weeks it was completely gone.
My sister workd with people with dementia. She prayed for a woman with such a severe case of dementia that she cannot remember what you told her 5 minutes ago. The next day the woman remembered that a girld with brown hair prayed with her to Jesus. She was very exited about it. Jesus has the Name above every other name, even dementia.
My family and I are not what you call “false prophets” we don’t even live in the US. We have read God’s Word and are seeing it come to life in our lives. Read Hebrews, faith is believing something above what you see/ don’t see. I’ve prayed many times and did not see anything (ex: my back, I’ve prayed over 160-200 times) but I kept on believing that by His stripes I am healed. And when Jesus said ” it is finished” that He meant it. And we are seeing the Word of God come to life.
And you know what is awesome? People can say all they want but I know from personal experience that we can hear God’s voice and lay hands on the sick and see them recover all because of the FINISHED work of the Cross through Jesus Christ.
Hello Manny1962,
Just read the references Daniel Crocker used. Just read them. He wrote,“Jesus told his disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons and a lot more. He even said My sheep know MY voice and the voice of another they will not follow”. You probably know that is Mark 16:17-18, the last recorded works of Jesus. I think he might have meant them. The second verse he referenced is John 10:27-28.
Jn 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
Daniel is quoting his Bible, your bible too will have these same verses. We may disagree about what “my sheep will hear my voice “ looks like, but these are the words of Jesus, no matter how unsure or uncomfortable they make us feel. Argue about them if you like.
Knowing that Jesus prayed that the world would believe when they see the love we Christians have for one another (Jn 17), it is disheartening that the Christian body is so good at treating each other up, calling each other heretics (as one person did above), but sometimes so bad at just loving each other like He loves us, even if our doctrine isn’t identical.
Amen SS, as we all known lying signs and wonders were will be rampant during the last days.
This is so blatantly pagan and grievous. There is nothing new under the sun and this sort of mysticism has a certain allure to the flesh, but I seriously struggle to understand how it is that any regenerate Person could see this as Holy. Please Lord open the eyes of your elect so that they will turn from this falsehood and stand on the truth of scripture as completely sufficient for all of life and Godliness.
Because they aren’t, Yeshua said,
“But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. ”
These people follow a false Jesus, that’s one reason I use His name in the Aramaic because You hear a different Jesus, preached constantly, but You hardly ever hear someone preaching a false Yeshua~!
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
“When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:4-5
If Jesus himself said we could hear His voice, why would we think listening for Him to speak is wrong?
Did God write a book and lose His voice?
Is not the Bible a book that shows how the living God wants to connect with people?
“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness…”. Hebrews 3:7