Francis Chan, Benny Hinn, and guilt by association
- What is a oneness view of the Trinity?
Ben reads an article: Francis Chan was criticized for headlining The Send, a 60,000-person Orlando rally, alongside Benny Hinn, Todd White, Lou Engle, Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, and Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer. Chan's stated reason: he'd rather speak where there is less Bible teaching than waste kingdom resources preaching to people who already agree with him; he acknowledges that appearing with someone can imply endorsement and plans to be more careful. The hosts side with Chan: association is not endorsement, noting Jesus was accused of the same thing, and they mock the online 'busybodies' (Paul's term) who police other Christians, joking about starting a cleanup company called 'Or More Gathered.' Ben reads the article's historical precedents: Billy Graham criticized by Bob Jones for associating with liberal ministers and preaching in communist nations, Ken Ham dropped from homeschool conferences after criticizing Peter Enns of BioLogos, James MacDonald's Elephant Room invite to T.D. Jakes leading to his Gospel Coalition resignation, C.J. Mahaney withdrawing from Together for the Gospel, and Christine Caine defending her place at the Nines conference amid growing attention to women and people of color on speaker lineups. The hosts conclude: evaluate what someone actually said, not who stood near them, and be glad about progress rather than making good the enemy of perfect.
More on Discernment
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'When God is silent': what counts as hearing from the Lord?
- What does it mean to 'hear from the Lord,' and how often should we expect it?
Mike brings a question from his Bible study, whose paragraph heading was 'when God is silent': the author wrote that he experienced God's silence for a couple of weeks and freaked out, and Ben expected a relatable years-long drought story — 'Oh, two weeks.
From No. 603 · Found Out
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Mike frames the question: are more people hearing from God?
- Does it seem like more and more people are hearing from God — and is that real or a lie and a huge distraction?
Ben asks Mike for a two-sentence framing; Mike says listening to the book of Job while mowing made him furious when Bildad 'received a word from the Lord,' turning a bad human argument into an unarguable divine claim.
From No. 597 · Maybe A Word From God
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Does God speak more now? Indwelling Spirit versus prophets
- Does God talk to people as much now as he did in the Old Testament or New Testament?
A host asks whether God talks to people as much now as in the Old and New Testaments. Ben's key distinction: the indwelling Holy Spirit means more people can have the experience…
From No. 597 · Maybe A Word From God
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How to tell your voice from God's: the Bible test and leniency
- How can you tell the difference between you speaking and God speaking?
Ella distills the question: how do you tell the difference between you speaking and God speaking? Her first answer: we have a Bible — what God is telling you is probably already in it ('Ben's gonna have a proud papa moment').
From No. 597 · Maybe A Word From God