Controversy is at the heart and the epicenter of much of our culture today. Unfortunately, this includes the church as well. In one of his latest messages, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn tackles this problem and how we as the body of Christ are to react to controversy.

Looking at biblical principles, Cahn discusses how the first Christian controversy to take place was centered around Christian converts of Gentile backgrounds.

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Cahn sites Acts 15:1-5 as the first real controversy from the church as we know it today. This is when Paul and Barnabas went to go directly to the Gentiles and share the gospel with them. However, among the Jewish believers there were some disagreements as to whether or not it was necessary for male believers to be circumcised.

Acts 15: 4-5 reads: “When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared what God had through them. Then some of the believers of the sect of the Pharisees rose up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.'”

Cahn says that this type of controversy about how steeped in Jewish traditions believers were supposed to be led to the outlawing of Passover celebrations. This was because it was considered dishonorable to celebrate the day the Messiah was crucified, causing further disruption between Jewish and Gentile believers.

So, how are we to understand controversy among Christians in today’s world?

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Cahn says that when victory is near, this is when the enemy wants to come in and create division between believers.

“Every time you have a victory in the Lord there’s always the enemy to start trying to mess it up,” Cahn says. “There’s opposition and there’s attack and there’s controversy and that’s when you have to stand because God will even do something greater when you’re getting attacked.”

Cahn also says that with controversy comes debates. Some of these debates are from God, and some are not. In his example from Acts, the controversy led to the council of Jerusalem which led to the spread of the gospel across the world. However, we frequently see controversies today pulling believers apart instead of closer together.

In a time when we are surrounded by controversies between believers, we must stay focused on Christ and take into consideration all pieces of evidence when issues are presented. It is critical that we listen to the Holy Spirit and read God’s Word for His guidance.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

John Lindell is calling on Mark Driscoll to repent.

Following the controversy that ensued last week at the Stronger Men’s Conference, John Lindell is now asking Mark Driscoll to repent as he releases new information and personal communication between Driscoll and the Lindell family.

In his message to James River Church, Lindell addressed the faith of Alex Magala, the sword swallower performer whose performance at the Stronger Men’s Conference has been at the center of the entire controversy.

Reading a statement from Magala, Lindell said, “In response to recent criticisms of Stronger Men’s Conference produced by James River Church, I feel compelled to clarify the context and intention behind my specialty act. My performance, which some have controversially likened to inappropriate entertainment, is deeply rooted in a historical and cultural tradition that dates back over 1200 years and has since become a respected discipline showcasing human strength and agility.”

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Lindell says he did not receive one text, email or phone call and no one came up to him to share their concern about the performance during the conference that Friday night.

Lindell says that Driscoll has stirred up fear in people over Magala’s past.

“Mark could have easily contacted one of his own congregants to find out more about Alex or even contacted Alex’s manager, but it seems that Mark is more interested in the controversy that will sell books,” Lindell said.

Lindell said after Driscoll’s statement, Driscoll was going to leave, but the two talked about how much they care about one another and each other’s families. This would of course lead up to what conference attendees saw as what looked like reconciliation between the two.

However, it would appear more happened later on. Lindell says that after he received a deep, heart-felt text message from Driscoll, Driscoll later sent texts to Lindell’s son, David.

“That evening he started sending a string of texts to my son, David Lindell, about Alex and his past,” Lindell said.

Lindell claims the first text said, “I’m not sharing this with everyone, but I’d expect a media discovery. I’m very sorry.”

Lindell also claims a text from that Saturday at 11:26 p.m. said “He [Alex] posted James River on his social media with your gals. Gay, porn stripper. Jezebel.”

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In total, Lindell says Driscoll sent eight texts by Sunday morning. This is when Lindell messaged Driscoll back, stating that Magala is a Christian and that he intended to defend him and stand by him.

As the bantering back and forth continued between the two pastors, the tension grew, including about Brandon Lindell, another of John’s sons, causing discord in the Lindell family. This lead Lindell to give a few key points of what he is asking of Mark Driscoll.

“We are calling you to publicly repent for refusing to stop the spread of lies regarding Alex Magala, a Christian brother,” Lindell said.

We are calling you to publicly repent for sowing disunity in the body of Christ. We are calling you to publicly repent for covertly trying to divide brothers and making false and slanderous accusations against Brandon Lindell. We are calling you to publicly repent for trying to create division in the Lindell family all the while saying you love us. We are calling on you to publicly repent for trying to destroy James River Church through attacking its leadership.

Further, Lindell asked anyone who supports Mark Driscoll’s ministry to reconsider doing so. He then concluded the service with a prayer for Driscoll’s repentance.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

Do demons comprehend what the rapture is?

In a reaction video, commentator Kap Chatfield shared footage of a video where a demon can be heard screaming during a church service after the pastor mentioned the rapture.

The pastor in the video simply said the following: ” to be at the ready to give everyone an answer of that blessed hope that we have that Jesus is coming to rapture us before the seven year Tribulation period.”

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At the sound of this, a woman in the church can be heard screaming out blood-thirsty squeals. The words spoken by the women are too unintelligible to understand clear sentences, but the anger is real. While it’s possible the woman was simply outraged, it appears that the pastor knew exactly what was happening.

Staying quiet and calm, he leaves the pulpit and can be heard walking over to her, telling the demon to come out of her.

The demon continues to yell while the pastor repeatedly says, “Come out of her” adding “in the name of Jesus” to take authority over the evil spirit.

Some people may not believe that a spiritual entity would speak up in a church, or perhaps even enter one. However, this is, as Chatfield points out, because of a lack of teaching about spiritual warfare in the American church today.

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“This isn’t happening in a lot of churches,” Chatfield says, “Many pastors are not teaching this truth, [they] are not teaching that Jesus is coming back soon. They’re not teaching the hard truths of the Word of God that are convicting. They’re not teaching spiritual warfare. They’re teaching soft messages that are keeping demonized people comfortable in their seats.”

While Christians can go back and forth and debate about when the rapture will happen, one thing is very clear from watching this video; at the mention of Jesus’ return the demon shrieked. The enemy is doing every possible thing he can to keep as many people out of heaven as possible. It is goal of Satan and the demons to drag down as many people as they can into the torment of hell.

Instead of being passive, this is the time to get serious about our relationship with God before the return of Christ. We don’t know the time and the hour He will return, so we must be prepared at all times for the coming of our Lord.

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The gospel is going forth all over the world in unprecedented ways.

In an exclusive interview with Charisma News, filmmaker Chris Worthington shared about his new documentary, “Multiplied.” Unlike other films and documentaries, this one highlights the evangelistic crusades by Daniel Kolenda as he takes the gospel to all nations.

“Multiplied,” is about the start of a generation of Holy Spirit evangelists being multiplied all over the globe for an end times harvest,” Worthington said.

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As the successor of Reinhard Bonnke, Daniel Kolenda has taken up the mantle to continue the mission of sharing the Good News of the gospel throughout the world. Worthington says that Kolenda’s ministry is about more than just name recognition or getting praise and glory. Instead, he’s made it about raising up individuals who will go and tell others about Jesus.

Deciding to ask Kolenda what the future of evangelism looked like, Worthington received a response that shocked him. He told him it was about multiplication.

 “He’s not trying to build his own ministry. He’s about trying to give it away to other people,” Worthington said.

Worthington traveled the world to work on this project and interview Kolenda, including in Brazil and Nigeria. Worthington says the struggles they faced in Nigeria were beyond anything he would have imagined.

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“We were literally shot at on our way to a 400,000 person gospel event,” Worthington said. “They knew exactly who we were because we had ‘CFAN’ all over the cars. We were actually supposed to be flying in, but we were actually stopped by a continent-wide sandstorm that wouldn’t allow planes to fly.”

Despite these challenges, Worthington sees the great work of people being set free and saved through Kolenda’s crusades and by his leadership to raise up other evangelists to go and do the good work.

“The amount of people that are getting saved is exponentially greater because it’s not just one event here; it’s being multiplied through hundreds of people doing these things,” Worthington said.

“Multiplied” will be in theaters May 20 and 21.

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Mark Driscoll and John Lindell have reconciled following controversy at the Stronger Men’s Conference.

During the conference, Driscoll called out the spirit of Jezebel for being present due to sword swallower Alex Magala’s performance where he removed his shirt and climbed up a pole.

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Lindell called Driscoll off of the stage, and the two of them spoke in private. Following this discussion, the two came back to address the matter.

In a post on X, Sean Feucht shared a clip from Protestia of this moment as “the clip that should be going viral.” In the video footage from the conference, Lindell and Driscoll discussed how meaningful their friendship has been, with Lindell likening Driscoll to John the Baptist.

“You want to what John the Baptist was like?” Lindell said, pointing to Mark. “Mark’s a prophetic voice to our generation…and Mark, I want you to know, you’re a gift to the kingdom.”

Driscoll also shared his gratitude for his friendship with Lindell, apologizing for not speaking about the matter privately first.

“I honor, respect and love and admire you as the father of this house. This is the greatest men’s event I believe in the country right now,” Driscoll said.

“What we’re going to do is we’re going to try and model how brothers can work together in division…I should have, between sessions, talked to you rather than just verbal processing on the stage. And as the father and the head of the house, you could have given me a thumbs up or down, and I need to honor that as spiritual authority,” Driscoll continued.

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This comes as just days later the sword swallower, Alex Magala, is responding to Driscoll’s claims about his performance.

In a statement to ChurchLeaders, Magala says his performance was part of an ancient tradition and was not to be taken as a sexually-charged act.

“My performance, which some have controversially likened to inappropriate entertainment, is deeply rooted in a historical and cultural tradition that dates back over 1,200 years and has since become a respected discipline showcasing human strength and agility,” Magala said.

Magala was previously on “America’s Got Talent.” He has also worked as a pole dancer. He says Driscoll’s comments failed to see the art behind his performance.

“Only an uninformed person would draw a comparison between my act and an inappropriate performance,” Magala said.

Magala further believed his performance “provides inspiration to the audience and permission for them to reach new heights of what’s possible in their lives.”

He also pointed out his own Christian faith, saying his desire is always to “use my talents to inspire and entertain audiences in a way that respects my faith.”

No matter what you believe was fair in this scenario, it’s obvious that the Stronger Men’s Conference has certainly taken the world by storm in ways no one ever expected.

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After hearing how puberty blockers could be reversed, a study from the Mayo Clinic has found that this may not be the case.

As Fox News first reported, the Mayo Clinic discovered how puberty blockers harmed male children who were studied, ages 17 and younger.

Studying more than 130,000 sperm cells from the male children, researchers discovered that the children on puberty blockers had “sex gland atrophy,” indicating that the effects of taking puberty blockers may be irreversible.

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One of the common prescriptions administered as a puberty blocker is Lupron, or leuprolide, which is typically administered for those with prostate cancer. However, when administered to children, it can delay or “block” their sexual maturity.

These chilling findings are a reminder that we are living in a culture which would rather applaud the wicked instead of standing up for what is right.

As Dr. Brett Osborn told Fox, “Disruption in their development could result in reduced fertility or other reproductive issues later in life. Based on the researchers’ histologic findings, the changes induced by these medications may be permanent, contrary to popular opinion among transgender activists.”

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By giving into the whims of what children believe they want now, parents and physicians may be making extreme decisions which could impact them later in life. Those same children who may feel confused in the moment or have been pressured by the media to conform by becoming transgender are making life-long decisions that could impact their entire future.

Instead of making children question why God made them as they are, perhaps we should be encouraging them to see how God wonderfully made them just as He desired them to be.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

In the wake of Iran’s missile and drone launches against Israel, devout Jews have double-downed on their belief and dedication to the rebuilding of the Third Temple.

The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has generated a lot of attention to when it comes to the rebuilding of the temple. From the discussion of the red heifer sacrifice, all eyes have been placed on Jerusalem. Now, in the middle of uncertainty, The Temple Institute has decided to stay committed to their vow that the Jewish people must rebuild.

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“When we see evidence of Iran’s barrage of hundreds of missiles and suicide drones over the Temple Mount, where the Dome of the Rock stands where the Holy Temple once stood, where David purchased the threshing floor from Ornan the Jebusite, we are reminded of the awesome obligation which rests upon the shoulders of Israel to fulfill the word of HaShem and build for Him ‘a house of prayer for all nations,’ (Isaiah 56:7)” The Temple Institute wrote on Facebook.

As The Temple Institute focuses on the call for the Jewish people to rebuild the temple, they liken the troubled times Israel is currently facing with Iran and Hamas to biblical times.

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“In the book of 1 Chronicles we read of [the] fantastic occurrences that led to the building of the first Holy Temple by King Solomon,” The Temple Institute writes. “These were troubled times for Israel as HaShem was displeased with King David, but the troubled times ultimately led to the building of the Holy Temple, the House of the G-d of Israel.”

The rest of The Temple Institute’s post cited 1 Chronicles 21 and 22, which discusses David’s role and the purpose Solomon would have in the building of the temple.

First Chronicles 22: 5 says, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all the lands. Therefore I will make preparation for it now.”

These Scriptures, which emphasize the importance of a place of worship for the Lord, are a key reason why Jewish people today desire a Third Temple. Like other Jews and Christians, the people of Israel simply desire a place of worship worthy of a holy God.

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Back in January, Dutch Sheets gave a prophetic word about the rise of “the dragon, bear and lion” for 2024. Now, it would appear that this prophecy could be playing out right in front of us.

“The dragon, the bear and the lion, that would be Russia, China and Iran will continue their attempts to gain influence, seeing America’s weakness under Biden as their opportunity,” Sheets said.

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Now, as we see that Iran has provoked Israel with hundreds of missiles launched, it would appear that the lion has been activated. But what about the bear and the dragon?

In the wake of Iran’s launch, Russia has since moved a ship with supersonic missiles into the Mediterranean Sea, according to The Express. Putin has called for nations in the Middle East to restrain themselves from acting further at the moment.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, “We call on all countries in the region to exercise restraint.

“Further escalation is in no one’s interests. Therefore, of course, we advocate that all disagreements be resolved exclusively by political and diplomatic methods,” he continued.

The circulation of Russian activities comes at the same time as China has also voiced their call on nations to restrain themselves from acts of violence.

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The Chinese Foreign Ministry presented a statement which said, “China calls on the international community, especially countries with influence, to play a constructive role for the peace and stability of the region.”

As these two major voices come into play during this time, it’s interesting to see how they both handled the situation by asking nations to use restraint. However, Russia’s timing of moving into the Mediterranean Sea is questionable. As we move further into this year, we should be able to see how Iran, Russia and China come into play regarding war, peace and biblical prophecy.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.

Did UFOs cause a strange weather phenomenon?

Alien enthusiasts are going wild over the possibility of UFOs causing massive 80-foot waves off of the coast of Africa.

As Fox News reported, a weather model showed a massive “error,” which portrayed a system with 80-foot waves the size of Texas moving along Africa’s coastline. This led some to believe it was actually aliens moving along the coast.

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The weather forecasting app, Ventusky, said the issue was just an error. They addressed the alien rumors and said what they would do to prevent future glitches.

“A significant number of people still do not believe that the giant waves off Africa were just an error and prefer UFO theories,” Ventusky wrote on X. “What can we do as a visualization platform? Add more sources! Therefore, we are incorporating another wave model from respected source Météo-France.”

This comes after a major uproar surrounding aliens happened just last year when what appeared to be mummified corpses were found in Mexico.

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Nephilim expert L.A. Marzulli told Charisma News about how important it is for Christians to understand end times deception, which causes many people to get caught up in unfounded conspiracies far from the truth of the cross.

“We are seeing the beginnings of that strong delusion, and the delusion is, ‘Well, there is no God. We [aliens] actually created all life on this planet,’ when they show up,” Marzulli said.

“Pastors basically can start by warning their congregation [about] what is going on. Do it from a biblical viewpoint,” Marzulli continued.

Just as deception swarmed around the topic of aliens last year, we are still vulnerable today to the lies about aliens. Before we assume aliens control the weather, civilization or anything else, perhaps it is best if we look at our surroundings through a biblical lens first.

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James River Church stirred up quite the controversy at their men’s conference that took place late last week.

This happened during the Stronger Men’s Conference at James River Church after a performance by a swordsman prompted prominent ministry leader Mark Driscoll to make a statement about spiritual entities plaguing the church.

The swordsman performance by Alex Magala stirred up this controversy after he removed his shirt and ascended up a pole for his performance, sword in mouth.

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When it was time for Mark Driscoll to take up the platform, he said, “The Jezebel spirit opened up our event. There was a platform. It was a high place. On it was a pole, an Asherah pole, the same thing that’s used in a strip club for women who have the Jezebel spirit to seduce men.”

This statement led to James River’s John Lindell to ask Mark Driscoll to come off of the stage.

“You’re out of line, Mark,” Lindell said.

As Driscoll continued to speak, Lindell finally told him that he was done, and Driscoll came off of the platform.

This led to Lindell’s explanation that he and Driscoll spoke privately for a half hour before Driscoll came up to speak. He says that according to Matthew 18, this should have been a private discussion between the two of them.

“If Mark wanted to say that, he should have said it to me,” Lindell said. “He didn’t. Matthew 18. If your brother offends you, go to him privately.”

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Matthew 18:15-16 says, “Now if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, then take with you one or two others, that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”

Verse 17 also states that if someone still will not listen in private after bringing in the witnesses, this is then the time to tell it to the church.

In this scenario, from what Lindell said, the topic of the swordsman performance was not discussed between the two of them in private before Driscoll made his statement.

On the site for the Stronger Men’s conference, past conference entertainment listed includes “professional bull riding, motocross / BMX competition, professional boxing, and much more.”

In the Facebook stream of James River’s latest church service, it was announced that thousands of men came to the event with 576 deciding to make Christ their Lord and Savior.

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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.