Jesus Culture Awakening 2011 **Concerned

Not sure if any of you know but many people including my friends & family are going to the Jesus Culture Awakening Conference currently happening in Chicago (8/3rd-5th/2011). People from all around the world are viewing this (in attendance/internet stream). I know most are going primarily for the music. I am concerned for those coming to this event primarily for the music (Hillsong United & Jesus Culture)yet gets influenced by the speakers (Bill Johnson of Bethel Church, Reinhard Bonnke, Cindy Jacobs, Banning Liebscher of Bethel Church, Lou Engle, Sean Smith). I've told my family & friends to practice Biblical discernment. I know there is no perfect ministry,church, or good person yet I don't think we ought to ignore the leaven that will eventually leaven the rest. I don't believe in church bashing but the darkness needs to be exposed of its false teachings. Google 'Jesus Culture Awakening' and look into it yourself but practice biblical discernment. I just watched it and heard only a push for a generation of leaders to heal (signs and wonders). I didn't hear a coming to repentance & forgiveness and the grace we receive from the LORD and growing in the LORD. Maybe I'm missing something. What are your thoughts? Here is an example of the nonsense they will here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhG1x4fOtBw&NR=1 and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWeUNoR30_0

I think the main push of this event is the taking back our country, generation of youth, revival to spread in our land, and for God to move on the lives of the lost that they might find Him. Tens of thousands of teenagers and young adults meeting together to seek God and worship, I can't see why you would think anything is wrong with this. I have much respect for Bill Johnson and Reinhardt Boneke. Repentance and forgiveness is a virtue we should practice everyday in our lives, and if you're a teenager seeking after God, you know how to do it. These kids are here to receive something many of them may not be getting in their home church. If you have concerns, just pray over this conference as the Holy Spirit may lead you, and pray that revival may stir in each and every life. My kids are at this conference, and I have much confidence in their descernment. Their hearts are after souls.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25
Behold, I have told you before.
Mat 24:26 \t \t
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, [he is] in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.
Mat 24:27 \t \t
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Mat 24:28 \t \t
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

http://awakening2011.com/videos/jesus-culture-band-reinhard-bonnke This link should take you to the site to watch if you haven't already. I suggest you watch. It will be going on tomorrow night, also.

I watched that clips and many other and think his teaching is sound. He always has pointed to our resurrected Jesus as our salvation and I have heard multiple services online where he talks about the need for repentance and is constantly talking about spiritual growth. I think the speakers listed are amazing men/women dedicated to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel clearly states that signs and wonders will follow those who believe. That is what proves the reality of a living God. I just wish I could afford to be there.

Mat 7:20 \t \t
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Mat 7:21 \t \t
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 7:22 \t \t
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Mat 7:23 \t \t
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Bill Johnson will be speaking tonight. I've listened to him a few times. He is pretty good. My daughter texted me today and she said the Spirit of God was really filling that stadium last night. I watched it on the internet and could feel the Lord, especially when Pastor Bonhnke was praying over the crowd and people were being filled with the Holy Spirit. God is wanting to pour revival out on this country! Reinhart Bonhnke is used to seeing miracles and healings over in Africa, if only the Lord would do it here. It will probably take a generation of young people that are just bold enough to step out and let God use them.

The next scripture, v.22 talks about building your house on the rock, and your house standing when the rains and floods come. The rock, being Jesus Christ, is a solid foundation, and to build your life on this rock just to have God say you did it wrong, doesn't seem like a just God to me. My interpretation of this scripture has always been those who haven't accepted Jesus as the Messiah. I believe if one is going after Christ, the Holy Spirit is there to lead and guide. If you feel this is a counterfeit move of God, then by all means pray and intercede for these kids.

1Pe 2:20
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

1Pe 2:21
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known [it], to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

2Pe 2:22
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog [is] turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

‎"I am designed to live under the influence of the King and His Kingdom, and I must make sure the right things make an impact on me so that my impact on the world around me is what God intends." Bill Johnson

Hey I watched the video it seems pretty legit I can see how it can be taken the wrong way though here is my theology that backs what he is saying with scripture of course:

GOD CAN TECHNICALLY DO ANYTHING so in one sense He is NOT limited to us BUT He has chosen to use us to show Himself to others. That actually glorifies His name because He used the most useless things in the world and made them useful! From God haters to history makers to fishing for fish to fishing for men.

thats why in 2 Corinthians its says we have these treasures in earthen vessels!

thats part of it but in the context of the above in addition to this:

The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, But the earth He has given to the sons of men. Psalm 115:16

Also ref.
Genesis 1:28-30

soo God gave the Earth to us to rule over it. So that now its our responsibility. When we sinned we allowed sin to enter the world our irresponsibility.

Why didn't God take back the Earth He gave to us? We just messed it up so bad. He did go ok Adam you messed up the Earth what a fine job you did I'm taking it back now.

Instead He cursed it (check genesis He curses the ground too lazy for reference)

Its cuz God already gave it to us its ours now
Its like when someone gives you a present its your now so even if you break it, they cant be like pay for it back because its yours.
Also its not in God's nature to take because of His love and its also part of His grace

So basically thats why He came up with an amazingly perfect plan planned from eternity to take the earth back for Himself by becoming a man =)

There are always mixed feelings about "Kingdom Theology". Jesus prayed, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done to the Father. That's the best way to live, pursue it! In my life, I've been in the middle of revivals where God poured out His Spirit in an amazing way, and I can say through experience that when I've encountered Him, a spirit of love and compassion overtook my life. I couldn't look at a person anymore without seeing his eternal soul that was lost without God. To be consumed with Him so much in my life is my desire. Bill Johnson preached on honor, and also mentioned purity many times. To let the Holy Spirit flow in your life will clean you up, and show to "stuff" that shouldn't be there. More of you Lord is my prayer for myself and the church...consume us with Your love, and love the world through us to show them your Son Jesus.

Matthew 24:6-13

6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

I do believe we are in the end times, and Jesus Culture is an indication of it as God is bringing his people together and pouring out his spirit on them. Every speaker pointed the way to our lord Jesus. Every testimony I heard was excitement over the Holy Spirits presence and how God would now use them. Jesus has asked for our unity, not for us to be divisive. There has not been one thing that I heard that I couldn't find biblical basis for.

Hello brethren,

I've watched many Bill Johnson videos, and was learned about Jesus Culture when they came to Chicago last year.

Jesus Culture is the worship band that Bethel sends to bring young people out, then has teaching from either Johnson, Banning Liebscher, or Kris Valloton.

I was planning to attend, and started to look into the speakers. As others have written, it sounded fine, but I started to sniff a rat when the Lord orchestrated some chance meetings with people who have been following and practicing Bethel teachings for some time. (Bethel's teachings are a blend of Word-of-Faith and Latter Rain, both of which have long been condemned as aberrant ---inconsistent with orthodox Christian doctrine and practice. They also fall under related teachings called the "prophetic movement," "third wave," "manifested sons of God", "river theology," "signs and wonders" etc.)

The more I learned about Bethel, it's roots, origins, affiliations and teachings, the more horrified I was about what I was learning. It is well-documented for the following false teachings that elevate man and diminish God through mixing truth with error in such extreme and yet subtle ways that it would be appropriate to classify Bethel as a non-Christian cult teaching doctrines of demons, another Christ, and another gospel.

These errors include:

* occultic practice, necromancy, divination, spiritism
* an aversion to the preaching of the gospel
* denial of Christ's divinity (Bethel's teaching is that Christ was a man who became God by being "smeared" with the Holy Spirit after His baptism in the Jordan) and that He had to be "born again" after the resurrection
* "open" theology that denies God's sovereignty
* a low view of the Bible which elevates experience over doctrinal truth or even scrutiny
* frequent claims of visits to Heaven, and of angels, angel feathers, gold dust and teeth appearing miraculously
* "worship" services that include such practices as "fire tunnels" that are characterized by uncontrollable shaking, laughing, spasmodic jerking, falling, gibberish and possession by spirits unknown

Bill Johnson, himself, is formerly from the Assemblies of God, which in a 1999 doctrinal statement, condemned the prophetic movement. He and Bethel's related teachers base their theology on confirmed heresies and false prophets such as John G. Lake and William Branham, who Bethel claims as the fathers of "revivalists", but whose ministries ended in disgrace to the faith handed down to us.

Bethel's interrelated ministries and teachers include: International House of Prayer, Mike Bickle; Todd Bentley, Fresh Fire Ministries; Benny Hinn, Benny Hinn Ministries; T.D. Jakes, the Potter's House; John Crowder, Sons of Thunder; Patricia King, Rick Joyner, Che An, and Peter Wagner.

Johnson is among this group of individuals who have appointed one another as "apostles" (hence, the term New Apostolic Reformation), who they predict will soon reign, popishly, over cities, and all Christians accountable to them.

I and others who have followed this movement since it came to Chicago last year, gathered material here, that I encourage you to examine in depth to understand the depth of the deception coming from Bethel and related teachers:

Here are two quotes from Johnson that characterize his teaching:

It’s difficult to expect the same fruit of the early church when we value a book they didn’t have, more than the Holy Spirit they did have… It’s not Father, Son and Holy Bible. – Bill Johnson

Many Christians miss out on God encounters because they are satisfied with good theology. – Bill Johnson
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http://jesuscultureawakening.blogspot.com/
http://jesuscultureawakening.blogspot.com/2012/04/jesus-culture-more-false-teaching.html
http://jesuscultureawakening.blogspot.com/2012/04/warning-jesus-culture-opens-door-to.html
http://jesuscultureawakening.blogspot.com/2012/03/part-2-jesus-culture-call-for.html

Johnson is among this group of individuals who have appointed one another as "apostles" (hence, the term New Apostolic Reformation), who they predict will soon reign, popishly, over cities, and all Christians accountable to them.

I am curious how they think they are going to make "all Christians" accountable to them?

1Co 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.

Pilgrim