 | Pastor Steve Berger warns about mediumship, then encourages variations of it?
Have Heart—bridging the gulf between heaven and earth (Published by Grace Chapel,Inc. 2010)
Book endorsements by James Robison, Dr. Chuck Missler, William Paul Young, Senator Bill First, M.D., Greg Laurie
WATCH VIDEO BELOW | | Dear Subscribers,
It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway—this is an extremely important video that I have included further below the text here! Christians and church leaders need to watch this video in its entirety. The longer you watch it, the more dumbfounded you will be.
Famous pastor and author of Have Heart, Steve Berger (Ambassador Services International), is now, among other things, currently serving on the Board of Promise Keepers. He is also on the Pastoral Advisory Board of Promise Keepers. There is much more mentioned in the video below about Steve Berger and his work. The video also explains some of the platforms he has stood on with others, and some of the people who have promoted him, elevated him, and joined him in his activities. | Endorsing communications with “deceased loves ones” | First, what is mediumship? | “Mediumship is the practice of purportedly mediating communication between familiar spirits or spirits of the dead and living human beings. Practitioners are known as "mediums" or "spirit mediums". There are different types of mediumship or spirit channelling, including séance tables, trance, and ouija….Several different variants of mediumship have been described; arguably the best-known forms involve a spirit purportedly taking control of a medium's voice and using it to relay a message, or where the medium simply "hears" the message and passes it on. Other forms involve materializations of the spirit or the presence of a voice, and telekinetic activity.” (Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediumship)
| Steve Berger does refute necromancy and mediumship in his book Have Heart (pp.94-95, 101-102). However, he also switches into double-speak mode when saying and giving examples of how they and others have received communications and signs from their deceased son Josiah. (Have Heart, pp. 73-121.)
Of important note is the fact that various forms of mediumship have entered churches and Christian movements. Space does not allow here to go into detail about many of these forms, offshoots, and techniques.Following are a few samples of engagement with the spirit world: hearing (clairaudience), sensing (clairsentience), feeling (clairsentinence), seeing (clairvoyance), smelling (clairalience), tasting (clairgustance), and knowing (claircognizance) that an alleged “presence” of a “deceased loved one,” is near.
The Bible gives blanket statements condemning all forms of trafficking with spirits/demons. Here are just a few verses. Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27; Deuteronomy 4:19; 18:9-14; Isaiah 8:19; 2 Kings 21:6; 1 Chronicles. 10:13-14; Acts 16:16; Revelation 21:8).
The only allowances of any type of intervention from God with raged to true, good, holy angels, is up to the Lord alone—in His divine providence. Experiences with spirits and/or angels should never be sought out, and no one should ever for any reason seek to communicate with “the deceased.” If one does, chances are extremely high that they will find engagement with deceiving spirits masquerading as angels of light, or the alleged deceased (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
The Bible very clearly warns about seducing spirits, and it warns Christians about this. Why does the Bible warn Christians? Because ignorant and undiscerning Christians can fall into the trap of thinking they are in contact with “deceased loved ones,” “angels,” “guides,” etc. We are to renounce and pray against these things, not passively engage them. “Now the [Holy] Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing [deceiving] spirits, and doctrines [teachings] of devils [demons];” —1 Timothy 4:1 [Emphasis added]
Simply stated, if pastors and leaders want to continue to overlook rank heresy and the scriptural condemnation of “communicating with the deceased” that Steve Berger and others are promoting, they will reap devastating consequences amongst their own congregations. It is just a matter of time before these false teachings arrive and circulate within many more church fellowships. Much damage and fallout has already occurred in the church regarding Steve and Sarah Berger’s book and teachings.
I personally spoke to Steve Berger on the telephone and also tried to contact Have Heart endorsers Greg Laurie, James Robison, and Dr. Chuck Missler. Each of the responses I received utterly shocked me. Still to this day, none of them have repented from what you will see in this video. As of June 2023, all of the original Have Heart endorsements can still be found within the Kindle version of Have Heart. It has been over 10 years since I addressed this issue head on with some of the Have Heart endorsers. | June 2023 Video Interview with Doreen Virtue (former psychic medium) about Steve Berger and Have Heart | In this recent video interview with former psychic medium Doreen Virtue, I explain the responses these Have Heart endorsers gave me when I expressed my shock and utter dismay over the contents within Steve Berger’s book (Have Heart—bridging the gulf between heaven and earth). Among other things, Steve and Sarah Berger’s book encourages receiving “signs,” “dreams,” “God nods,” and “praying to” deceased loved ones. And if not by clear teaching, by way of personal examples from family and friends.
Instead of lovingly correcting—or publicly refuting and separating from—Steve and Sarah Berger and their beliefs, these pastors and others have simply elevated and promoted Steve and Sarah Berger and their book Have Heart.
See also, Have Heart endorsements, and Is 'Jesus Calling' or is Jesus Warning?: Names of "spirits" masquerading as "guides" and "deceased loved ones". | | Warnings about Pastor Steve Berger’s mediumship practices
The video presented below is by no means meant to bring unnecessary division in the church. (See video, What SRN is NOT.) We are called to "warn and teach,” (Colossians 1:27-29) and to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God,” (1 John 4:1). Furthermore, we are admonished to “mark [keep a close watch on] them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:18). See also, June 2023 video, About SRN. |  | Watch Video on YouTube
Video posted on Jun 8, 2023 (11,616 views as of June 13, 2023) “Self-proclaimed prophet Steve Berger claims to receive messages from his deceased son, and he wrote a book about this practice. Talking to the dead is the condemned sin of mediumship, even when it involves talking with deceased loved ones. In this video, Pastor Chris Lawson of the Spiritual Research Network, discusses how he tried to warn Berger and the pastors who endorsed his book such as Greg Laurie and James Robison about the dangers and sin of mediumship, but they wouldn’t listen. Berger even claimed that “God had made an exception for him and his family” to allow them to send and receive messages from his deceased son. Former psychic medium Doreen Virtue describes how she was demonically deceived when she thought she was receiving messages from her deceased grandmother, and how her pre-salvation mediumship sessions failed the Apostle John’s test of the spirits.” (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzy1Q1TZImM)
| | Is Steve Berger a “prophet”? | Something else of important note is the fact that as of November 2020, Pastor Steve Berger now claims to be a “prophet.” Below is a screenshot of Berger’s speech transcript, from when he spoke at the November 2020 Council for National Policy speeches. Berger stated the following, declaring himself and “prophet.” |  | Source: Scroll half way down at this link to find the text. November 2020 POLICY COUNSEL SPEECHES, The Honorable Mike Pence, Vice President, United States of America; Chairman: Mr. Gary L. Bauer (President, American Values); Panelists: Pastor Steve E. Berger (Founding Pastor, Grace Chapel Franklin), Pastor Rob McCoy (Senior Pastor, Godspeak Calvary Church), Mr. Kelly J. Shackelford, Esq. (President and CEO, First Liberty Institute), cfnp.org/policy-counsel/november-2020/
| “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” —1 John 4:1
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;” —2 Timothy 4:3 | | We all must continue to earnestly contending or the faith! | | There is an endless supply of Bible verses for Christians to apply regarding being on guard against false teachers, rejecting false doctrine, and staying far away from spiritual deception. Here are three passages of Scripture that church leaders and all Christians should know well, in context. | “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. —Jude 3 [Emphasis added] | “[Christ] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” —Colossians 1:28-29 [Emphasis added] | “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” —Acts 20:26-32 [Emphasis added] | Looking unto Jesus!
Chris Lawson, Director SpiritualResearchNetwork.org | | DONATE Thank you for helping make these resources available! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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