I was asked, by someone at my church, to read ‘The Physics of Heaven’ by Judy Franklin and Ellyn Davis. Judy Franklin is on staff at Bethel Church in Redding and Ellyn Davis is a published home school author and researcher of quantum mysticism. According to the Senior Associate Leader at Bethel Church, Kris Vallotton, “This book is a foretaste of things to come.”
I found it disturbing on multiple levels. It embraces New Age mysticism and encourages Christians to explore the truths of other religions and New Age beliefs. To quote Johathan Welton, “I have found throughout Scripture at least 75 examples of things that the New Age has counterfeited, such as having a spirit guide, trances, meditation, auras, power objects, clairvoyances, clairaudience, and more.” Johathan Welton, one of the contributors to this book, is a teacher, author, and seer (quoting his web site) with his own supernatural Bible school.
As I read The ‘Physics of Heaven’ I encountered logical fallacies that would frustrate Spock, leaps of reason that looked more like a startled gazelle, and stretches of truth that would make a giraffe envious. I could not read more than a page or two without noting something I found questionable and wanted to investigate. I am a copious note taker when I read a book and when I come across something questionable, I research it for validity. I had so many notes in the first few chapters that it would have taken me weeks to research it. I noted that Franklin and Davis do not have a single citation in their book The Physics of Heaven; that in itself should be a red flag to anyone reading this book.
I noted over 50 details or questionable references within this book I wanted to look up and research for truth. All of them were examples that were intended to support their New Age views, insights, and prophetic visions. However, due to my personal time constraints and desire to spend my energy elsewhere, I will share only three examples from this book and what I found.
One example is the authors sharing the invention of Dr. Royal Rife, which follows a chapter by Beni Johnson where she explores and discusses sounds (such as the Pentecost wind) and vibrations that can bring us to new realms.
Dr. Royal Rife invented a machine in the 1930s, which used currents and frequencies to cure a wide range of diseases, including cancer. Franklin and Davis wrote, “The total recovery rate using Rife’s technology was 100%.” 1 When I hear or read about claims like this, I can’t help but ask myself, why are we not using this cure today if it was so successful? Well, the truth is, Dr. Rife’s claims could not be duplicated, and he was discredited by the medical profession in the 1950s. 2 So his use of vibrations, sounds, and frequencies to cure cancer was discredited and unsubstantiated. Why the authors would use an example so easily refuted raises a host of other questions.
I also came across an article in the Seattle Times, “Rife machines are named after inventor Royal Rife, who in the 1930s created a device that purportedly destroyed disease with radio frequencies. There is no credible scientific evidence to substantiate that Rife devices work, according to the National Institutes of Health.” 3 The Times went on to report that these supposed miracle machines are popular in the underground market, where individuals without any kind of medical license sell to unsuspecting individuals who are desperate for healing.
Now, you may be a Bethel fan or supporter. I’ve known several over the years who have attended the church or the classes they offer in supernatural ministry and worship, who have nothing but good to say about Bethel Redding. These are people I trust, respect, and admire. I myself have never attended any of their services, nor have I even listened to a single sermon from Bill Johnson. I have viewed some worship services and some guest speakers of Bethel on You Tube, and read some blogs or online columns about the church, but that is the extent of my Bethel exposure. Maybe I was asked to read this book because I had no opinion of Bethel, other than being somewhat skeptical.
I have to say, after reading this book and the message it represents, I do have some concerns when Bill Johnson, Beni Johnson, and other Bethel staff contribute to or endorse this book.
Another example is their mention of spontaneous healings in the presence of dolphins. They then mention the Upledger Foundation and their study to “…investigate the effects of providing CranioSacral Therapy to patients while in the presence of dolphins.” So I first looked up the Upledger Foundation and then CranioSacral Therapy.
The Upledger Foundation’s mission statement is to “…perpetuate the therapeutic treatment and education of CranioSacral Therapy.” 4 They offer online courses with over 100 certified instructors in CranioSacral Therapy, and have clinics all over the United States. Dr. John E. Upledger passed away recently, but his son, John M., has picked up the banner and is now heading the institution.
So, the Upledger Foundation promotes CranioSacral Therapy, no surprise since that is how they make their income. The next question is, what is CranioSacral Therapy? The Upledger Foundation says, “CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle, hands-on approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole-body health and performance.” 5 When they say gentle, they are talking about the weight of a nickel, only a few grams of pressure.
CranioSacral therapy is simply a holistic treatment or alternative medicine, as some of the supporting articles call it. It involves manipulation of the skull bones and the sacrum, (I had to look that one up too) which is a triangular bone at the base of the spine consisting of several vertebrae, which become fused after the age of 18.
Craniosacral therapists say they can detect a certain rhythm in the cranium and sacrum spinal fluid which is required for good health. If this rhythm is out of balance, a trained CST therapist can alter the flow to the desired rhythm and improve the overall health and well-being of the patients being treated. “The rhythm is measured by the therapist’s hands. Any needed or effected changes in rhythm are also detected only by the therapist’s hands. No instrument is used to measure the rhythm or its changes; hence no systematic objective measurement of healthy versus unhealthy rhythms exists.” 6 Without any viable scientific measurement, I would be very wary of this alternative medicine.
Another disturbing find was what Upledger, in his own book, ‘CranioSacral Therapy: Touchstone of Natural Healing, wrote, “By connecting deeply with a patient while doing CranioSacral Therapy, it was possible in most cases to solicit contact with the patient’s Inner Physician. It also became clear that the Inner Physician could take any form the patient could imagine —an image, a voice, or a feeling. Usually, once the image of the Inner Physician appeared, it was ready to dialogue with me and answer questions about the underlying causes of the patient’s health problems and what can be done to resolve them. It also became clear that when the conversation with the Inner Physician was authentic, the craniosacral system went into a holding pattern.” 7
Every step is subjectively based. The need for the treatment is determined by the CST, the changes in the rhythms are determined by the CST, and the subsequent improvement of the rhythm is determined by the CST. Hard to believe that Judy Franklin and Ellyn Davis reference this to support their views on healing energy and vibrational frequencies.
Throughout The Physics of Heaven are examples of legitimate, medically and scientifically proven examples of corrective treatments, surgery, and care for the health and well-being of individuals. Inserted among them are other, more dubious examples that have as much to do with proven science as crop circles prove the existence of aliens. Oh yes, they do mention crop circles in The Physics of Heaven.
My last example is their reference to magnets and tuning forks to promote healing. “There are many well-established uses of energy fields in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Some of these include: magnetic resonance imaging, laser eye correction surgery, cardiac pacemakers, radiation therapy, and UV light therapies for psoriasis and seasonal affective disorder. There are also a few less-researched therapies that use energy fields, such as music therapy, using magnets to increase blood flow, and the use of tuning forks to produce healing sound frequencies.” 8
Less-researched? That’s an interesting way to put it. How about, just researched enough for those in the medical field with any credibility to realize it’s snake oil.
Concerning the use of magnets in the medical profession, Steven Novella from Science Based Medicine puts it this way, “The history of health claims for magnets goes back as far as knowledge of magnetism itself. In the last decade, there appears to have been an upsurge in this old scam – a plethora of products promising to treat arthritis, improve healing, or just give extra energy by placing a magnet over the target area. The magnets used are typically very weak and have a field that barely penetrates the skin, let alone reaching down to the joints or the area of pain.” 9
Over the years, magnets and magnet devices such as bands, bracelets, necklaces, etc, have been promoted and sold as pain-reducing and cancer-curing gimmicks. “The FDA has prosecuted many cases involving magnetic devices promoted for the relief of pain. Devices involved in these cases include a tiny, permanent magnet on an adhesive bandages called Acu-Dot, the Inductoscope; magnetic bracelets alleged to provide a longer and more active life, relieve arthritis, and inhibit bacterial growth; and the Magnetic Ray Belt. There is no scientific evidence that permanent magnets have a beneficial effect upon any form of cancer or that they will relieve pain beyond a placebo effect.” 10
The use of tuning forks was another “less-researched” therapy. According to Michele Averard and Nestor Kornblum, “The stem of the activated fork can be placed on the bones and articulations to restore movement and flexibility, and aid the development of connective tissue. They stimulate the flow of lymph and blood to the area of application, thereby speeding up the healing process, and promote deep relaxation and the elimination of built-up stress and toxins from the joints.” 11
There are no scientific studies that show, “Unhealthy vibrations in the body of a living thing can be brought into a healthy vibratory state by being influenced by objects emanating healthy vibrations. (Again, there is no scientific evidence for this belief; it is pure metaphysical fantasy).” 12 In reality, the tuning forks use this non-existent, universal life force within us all that can become out of balance or off frequency. So alternative healers or holistic therapists use tuning forks to correct the organ or chakra (energy points or channels of life force) that is out of balance or harmony with the earth’s frequency.
Tristin Hopper from How Stuff Works puts it this way, “a patient lies motionless on a table while a healer passes vibrating tuning forks over their body — the idea being that the vibrations improve mental clarity and physical energy. There’s no scientific evidence for this, but hanging out in a room filled with gently humming tuning forks could put anyone in a good mood.” 13 Swimming with dolphins while my wife very gently massages my craniosacral would also put me in a good mood.
I have only scratched the surface here. There is so much more questionable material in this book that I have not even mentioned. If anyone reads this, put on your thinking cap, your skeptic cape, and don’t hesitate to ask, ‘How did you come to that conclusion?’
I will end this with another quote from Helen Davis, who was responding to one of her many duped fans on her blog. This woman was commenting on UFOs, extraterrestrials, and the fallen ones of Genesis 6, and how both God and Satan are concerned with DNA. Helen replied, “Yes, I have also studied the Nephilim and the different beliefs that many of the human bloodlines are now ‘infected’ with non-human DNA, and that has caused a genetic modification, and that these non-human influences have an agenda to control humankind and all of earth’s resources. Scripture doesn’t clearly speak of such a thing, but extra-Biblical texts like the Book of Enoch do.” 14
If this book is a foretaste of things to come and Christian belief, I can understand why scripture says in Matthew 24:24, “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
Sources:
1. Franklin, Judy. Davis Ellyn. “The Physics of Heaven” Crossville: Double Portion Publishing, 2012 Print.
2. (1994), Questionable methods of cancer management: Electronic devices. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 44: 115–127. doi: 10.3322/canjclin.44.2.115
3. Willmsen, Christine. Berens, Michael J. “Pair indicted on fraud charges in medical-device probe.” The Seattle Times [Seattle] Dec. 2007, nwsource.com Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
4. Upledger, John “Who We Are.” Upledger Foundation. Upledger.com, 2011. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
5. Ibid
6. Carroll, Robert T. “Craniosacral Therapy” Skeptic’s Dictionary. Skepdic.com, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 Dec. 2014
7. Upledger, John E. “CranoSacral Therapy: Touchstone of Natural Healing” Berkely: North Atlantic Books, 1999. Print.
8. Franklin, Judy. Davis Ellyn. “The Physics of Heaven” Crossville: Double Portion Publishing, 2012 Print.
9. Novella, Steven. “Magnetic Healing Through the Ages” Neurologica Blog. Theness.com, 14 June 2010. Web. 23 Dec. 2014
10. “Questionable Methods of Cancer Management: Electronic Devices” Cancer Journal for Clinicians Volume 44. Issue 2 1994:44:115-127 Wiley Online Library Web. 21 Dec. 2014
11. Averard, Michele. Kornblum,Nestor. “Tuning Forks and Harmonics for Health” Harmonic Sounds. Globalsoundhealing.net, 2012. Web. 22 Dec. 2014
12. Carroll, Robert T. “Vibrational medicine” Skeptic’s Dictionary. Skepdic.com, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 23 Dec. 2014
13. Hopper, Tristin, “Non-musical Uses for Tuning Forks” How Stuff Works, howstuffworks.com, 1 March 2011. Web. 23 Dec. 2014
14. Davis, Ellyn. “Chapter 2: Extracting the Precious From the Worthless” Heaven’s Physics, heavenssphysics.com 2012. Web. 19 Dec. 2014
A book review – The Physics of Heaven by James Glazier is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.dev.christianapologetics.blog.
E-Gads!!!
Hey, bro – First, I agree that a lot of the stuff mentioned in this book is pretty questionable. I do have to say, though, that God has blown my mind on more than one occasion with things I didn’t anticipate.
Second, I have used a Rife machine, with unknown results (I didn’t go back to have my Candida checked for a while afterward), BUT I do have a friend who uses it for Candida, and he gets immediate healing results. I can never tell when I have it, so I’m not a good test subject!
However, I have had medical biomagnet therapy, and one session healed me of Epstein Barr virus (aka Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), which medical science has no cure for.
It’s worth noting just in general, though this is semi-tangential to the whole of this book, that the FDA and the medical establishment are not without their agendas. They at least have a mandate to keep the public safe, so anything that hasn’t been researched (which costs huge amounts of money) can’t be endorsed by them. So I get that part. But not having “scientific proof” doesn’t always mean something doesn’t work. It also doesn’t mean it does! Think of all the lawsuit notices you see on TV for FDA-approved drugs that ended up causing terrible side effects.
So, all that to say, there’s a limit to evidence. Our faith is an example of that. No human can prove by use of the scientific method that God exists – or that God does not. Likewise, I cannot prove that I have heard the voice of God speaking to my spirit, or felt his love move like waves through my being. I just know these things are true.
So, maybe God put something in dolphins that augments healing – who knows? I’m not into Inner Physicians manifesting, but I am learning as I get older to leave a little room for mystery. I have the feeling God’s up to all sorts of things we can’t grok.
Anyhoo, keep up the good blogging work! Wish we could see you & Jed tomorrow.
Thanks for the feed back Heath!
If everyone agreed with me I would be out of a job. Well, as far as blogging is concerned. 🙂
You bring up some good points, but I would ask you why would you trust medical biomagnet therapy? The obvious answer is it worked.
You’re right, evidence isn’t the final judge and jury as to the truth of a matter. Plenty of innocent people have been convicted by substantial evidence against them. Lots of things science can’t prove. How much I love my wife, peanut MM’s, or a host of other ethical and aesthetic judgments. But, what else do we have to go by on some issues other than evidence?
Yes, everyone has an agenda. Corporations want to make a dollar, so they try to convince people that what market is something we need or want. Certainly governments have an agenda, and from election to election it can change. After it broke that the IRS was targeting conservative groups, my faith in our current government lessened somewhat. Everyone uses evidence to sway people to be in favor of their agenda.
Nevertheless our government, private corporations, and public non-profit entities, provide us with evidence in the medical field as to what works and what doesn’t. And generally it works. I take aspirin, fill my car with gas, and purchase peanut MM’s without fear.
By in large, the examples giving in Physics of Heaven to support their views, I found questionable, if not ludicrous because of the evidence.
We agree that God can work and does work in mysterious ways. Maybe I am wrong about the examples given, but I will go with the evidence on this one.
Blessings on you sister! 🙂
I am glad you decided to limit yourself to responding to only three of the claims put forth in the “Physics of Heaven” book, James. Having personally read the book in its entirety, I can attest to the overwhelming amount of statements that the authors tout as being the very truth of God that are in clear contradiction to what the Bible teaches.
You mentioned that when authors make claims, you often ask yourself, “How did they come to that conclusion?” I found it to be rather telling that co-author Ellen Davis shared that she actually began encountering these “truths” when she started attending New Age events in Sedona, AZ. She writes that she had already experienced “what most of what charismatic Christianity had to offer – miracles, prophecy, healing, deep revelation, transformative experiences of the Holy spirit, and excellent Bible teaching,” but that she began attending New Age events to see it perhaps “they had uncovered some truths that the church hadn’t.” (pages 14-15). My first thought was, “Wow! If she had already truly experienced all that Christianity has to offer, then there was nothing more that she should have been seeking.” For her to engross herself into the New Age teachings to find additional, “uncovered” truths was her first major step into deceitful oblivion. She opened her heart and mind directly up for the enemy to step in and begin rearranging and destroying any foundation she ever had of the truth of God.
What a spiritual tragedy for her and all those who follow in suit. Thank you for taking the time to write a blog on this. I am praying God will continue to give you the wisdom, fortitude, and proper boundaries as you respond to similar books in the future.
I think your spot on about the co-author Ellen. I remember thinking in that very chapter you mentioned, she sounded like she was bored with what Christianity had to offer in the supernatural, so she began looking in the meca of New Age thought and enlightenment. I even made some notes pertaining to that in the chapter. We saw the same thing.
I will add this. I thought much of what was discussed in their book were not salvation issues. Yes I think it has great potential to lead Christians astray, but believing dolphins can heal, or our brains are somehow connected with the earths frequency, and believing Christ died for our sins are not mutually exclusive beliefs.
I am learning, very slowly, because it is not my nature, that loving is more powerful than correcting. I tend to file people, who don’t agree with me, in the ‘idiot’ folder and move on without looking back.
I know how much you read Scripture and dig into the word. Thank you for the feedback Stephanie! 🙂
Hi James. I agree with you completely that some of the claims made by the authors are non mutually exclusive to believing that Christ died for our sins. But many of the statements made in the book are. For example, on page 2, the author claims that “The next thing the Lord told me was that soon He would release a sound from heaven that will literally change the structure of how we think. This new sound will transform us like the transformation spoken of in Romans 12. Our minds will be renewed so that we think like Him and are no longer conformed to this world but conformed to the will of God.” In Romans 12:1-2 we are being told that we must offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God in order to be renewed and transformed by Him. Paul then goes on for several chapters to teach us what this involves as we interact in the body of Christ, as we love one another, hate what is evil, cling to what is good, submit to governing authorities, forgive one another, and avoid legalism. These types of claims by the authors are what I am referring to as being contrary to the Bible.
James, as always I really appreciate your blog and the precise way you break things down. You are excellent at being extremely well thought out and honest, with heart behind your analysis.
As someone who graduated Bethel’s school and spent two years there, I absolutely recognize the apprehension toward a book like this and the claims made within. I dealt with the exact same issues in my time there.
I have met and talked with Judy Franklin on a couple of occasions. She talked at the school only once during the first year of school, though she didn’t teach or go into any of the things that are written in this book. She simply shared her testimony. She is Bill’s secretary and not a senior leader at the church. She is also not someone commissioned at the church to teach or preach. What she is is a dear friend of Bill’s who had a very rough life redeemed by Jesus.
I don’t know the other author. She never spoke at the school or the church while I was there.
Anyways, I’m telling you this because I believe you are entirely correct to challenge the things written in this book. I believe you are correct to challenge them and be skeptical. I would do the same.
What I also want you to know is that the things written in this book and the authors themselves are hardly indicative of what Bethel church stands for or is pursuing. The support of Judy and the other author in publishing this book comes from the core values at Bethel of freedom to disagree in love and also a willingness to have traditional thought processes challenged. Unless something is clearly anti-Biblical the leadership at Bethel will not take a definitive stand against the beliefs of something. This has led to some problems for them which they will readily admit, yet it has also opened the door for God to work there in ways that most churches in the west do not see (yet churches in the East and in Africa, churches not built upon just logic but entirely on faith, see these workings of the supernatural all the time). The support for this book comes from that understanding that God often works in ways beyond our limited understanding, and also in the acknowledgement that Satan cannot create, he can only pervert. Therefore they are open to the belief that some New Age practices are merely perversions of things God may have put on the earth for us. It is though discernment, Biblical understanding, and the leading of the Spirit that we are to write off the things that are dangerous, and also take back the things that may have been stolen from us. This is where Bethel’s culture of freedom in the supernatural offends and alarms many people. But I would offer that when people actually get to know the leadership of Bethel and the hearts of people like Bill Johnson, they realize that this culture of freedom comes from a true and sincere faith and love in Jesus and God.
I have been to well over 100 Bethel church services, and sat in nearly 1000 hours of their teachings. The stuff in this book is not taught in the church or at the school. The things written in The Physics of Heaven is not a reflection of what all the staff at Bethel believes. They would never teach it or present it as fact. What they WOULD do is allow someone on their staff who does believe it to write about it and pursue whether or not it is real. And they would support that person in their pursuit. This book is a reflection of that.
One of the biggest core values of anything at Bethel is relationship. They believe that God will have relationship with us and give us freedom to pursue stupid stuff sometimes. In all of that He never stops loving us or teaching us. He is a good father who knows that once the foundation of your life is faith in Him, that no matter what mistakes you make you will eventually get it right. This is the process of sanctification. So they try to treat the people in their church as they believe God treats them. They will voice concerns but not try to control. Through it they will never stop loving. They also do not believe in pushing people out of leadership or membership unless they are unrepentantly sinning, therefore disrupting their relationship with God.
I say all of this not to convince you of anything in the book you’ve reviewed, but instead to give you a glimpse of why a book like this could be written by a staff member at Bethel. I can guarantee you that this book is not 100% endorsed by everyone on that staff. The staff even openly disagrees on eschatology, because they believe that anything that is not specific in the Bible is something that they cannot take a stand on, but rather investigate and pursue through their relationship with God and understanding of the world.
On a personal level, I also have disagreements with things written in this book. But I also know the hearts of the church leadership at Bethel. I know what they stand for and are going after. I have seen with my own eyes the power of their faith. I have seen countless lives transformed by encountering God at their services. I have been physically, emotionally, and spiritually touched by God there more consistently than anywhere else I have ever been. Because I have experienced these things, I do believe that they are right to allow such freedom, because God is clearly moving on the waves of what they are doing. In that freedom would be the freedom to challenge, but to challenge in love. It sharpens us all.
Enjoyed the read. Thanks James!
Hi Paul. Thank you for sharing your experience and insight into Bethel’s leadership. I have heard from others as well that in their desire to show love for others, they have refrained from putting restrictions on the ways individuals say the Holy Spirit is working in their lives.
You wrote in your response that “The things written in The Physics of Heaven is not a reflection of what all the staff at Bethel believes. They would never teach it or present it as fact.”
I truly hope that the content of the book is not what all the staff at Bethel believes. However, the forward of the book, which by nature is considered an endorsement, is written by Kris Vallotton, the Senior Associate Leader of Bethel Church. In his opening paragraph, he refers to the authors as being “seers,” believers who are gifted by God to see the supernatural. His actual words are:
“Through their collective intelligences these seers have emerged with new perspectives never before pondered.”
He goes on to quote scriptures regarding God’s attributes having been invisible, hidden, mysterious – and that they are now made known through the church. That certainly leads one to believe that the content of the book they are about to read is a revelation of things previously hidden.
He ends his writing in his final paragraph by stating the following:
“This book will awaken nature’s voice in you, curing deafness that was predicted long ago by single dimension thinking. The whistle is blowing and it’s time to set sail into the great adventure. Won’t you join us?”
The fact that Bill and Beni Johnson both contribute chapters to the book certainly gives the appearance that they too are in support of its content.
I am glad that you personally see problems with the book. Since you know some of the leaders and people at Bethel and are certain that they do not actually believe such things, perhaps you can gently encourage them to “speak the truth in love” to their people (Ephesians 4:15) rather than putting their personal endorsements behind these teachings.
I absolutely appreciate what your concerns are. I just want to clarify that I never said that all of the leadership wouldn’t endorse what is written here. I know that some do or would. But I also know that others do not, and I know for certain that the ones who do would never endorse if they felt it was anti-Biblical. Some of the staff are more open to the idea that some things were stolen from God and perverted by the New Age movement and other things, while some are more traditional.
Kris is one of those more open. Yet I have been there and personally heard when Kris had admitted to being admonished by Dann Farrelly, who is the most Biblically educated theologian on staff. The staff at Bethel all holds one another accountable in their pursuit of the Spirit. Dann Farrelly, who most have never heard of, is traditionally educated and is the go-to for the staff when they want to present ideas to the church or students. He has veto power. As for Kris’ endorsement of this book, I know that Kris especially loves to push people out of their comfort zones, and I have been there when he’s admitted to going too far. His gifts are great but he does sometimes overreach, and he admits when he does. I trust a man like that because he is open about his growth in the Lord, and I have learned a lot from him. I really believe that the reason he endorsed this book, just from having spent a lot of time with him, would come from a place of getting people to think outside the box. Yet Kris would never go against the Bible deliberately.
Bill is much more traditional and subdued in his teaching and demeanor. I’m not surprised Bill would add a chapter to this book because he also believes in the supernatural and he believes we humans limit God too much. I’m sure if you read his chapter you’ll find that it is more in that way of thinking than in supporting specific practices.
One thing I have noticed in all these issues about the book is that there is one thing that has not been brought up: I have not seen one thing presented that could actually be considered blasphemous or outright anti-Biblical. Yes, some of the things push against our comfort zones, and yes, I even don’t believe in the science of some of these things. But just because I don’t agree does not mean that there is any evidence here for me, or any other person, to label these things as heretical, which is exactly what the disagreements I’m seeing are implying to me. Am I missing something?
I know that Bethel supports the pushing of our understanding of God. I also know that they don’t support anything that is anti-Biblical. I am seeing scientific arguments here, but no moral or Biblical ones. If I’m missing something, please correct me.
Finally, I’d like to submit a blog I wrote which point by point explains the fallacy in thinking Bethel embraces the “New Age” simply because some of them believe that certain practices actually were ok before the New Age perverted them.
http://pkexperience.blogspot.com/2014/08/bethel-church-and-new-age.html
Thank you for your feed back Paul. I always appreciate your input. I know you attended Bethel, and thought of you more than once as I was working on my post.
I get what you are saying. I have read your reply several times and see better than before the view of Bethel and the importance of relationship. I understand how important relationship is to the Mosacis, (a generational term used by the Barna Group for those born in the 80’s to early 2000’s. I have read several articles from the Barna Group that address this issue, and how different generations have different ideals.
I also read your blog from the link you provided. Great post. I read it a couple times and will be thinking about it.
Relationship is a phenomena of the Mosacis. I know that sounds so sterile and I don’t mean it to be, but different generations have different core values. For those from the WWII era, often titled the ‘Greatest generation’ work ethic was paramount.
I get that love will often steer better than correction, but not always.
I get that Kris Vallotton likes to push the envelope, but sometimes too far, as you say he has admitted to.
Stephanie voiced my concerns, gave an example, and expressed my thinking so I will not repeat.
But I will share a letter someone wrote, that will serve as a good reminder to us as we have this ‘in house’ debate.
“I want you to be someone I want to grow up to be like. I want you to step up and live by the Bible’s standards. I want you to be inexplicably generous, unbelievably faithful, and radically committed. I want you to be a noticeably better person than my humanist teacher, than my atheist doctor, than my Hindu next-door neighbor. I want you to sell all you have and give it to the poor. I want you to not worry about your health like you’re afraid of dying. I want you to live like you actually believe in the God you preach about. I don’t want you to be like me; I want you to be like Jesus. That’s when I’ll start listening.”
Blessings on you all.
Thanks James. I agree, we all would benefit from being more like Jesus. Of course, if Jesus was the standard that we all had to achieve in order for people to listen, then no one would ever learn anything from anyone, except for the words in the Gospels.
We all are imperfect, therefore we all will have disagreements. None of us has the perfect view of it all. I think that is where most of my concern of the skepticism of Bethel comes from. I feel like they are held to standards of perfection that no one else would even hold themselves too. Instead we all need to recognize the value that we all have to offer. Bethel has some amazing things to offer. So does Chapel. So do we individually. If Jesus is the center of someone’s life, I believe that qualifies that person to have insight, for Paul tells us that we all are different parts of the body. We all have different things to offer. We all are going to be wrong in some areas, because none of us understand God. Yet we also are all going to have insight from God that others do not have.
When we know that Jesus is the main focus and driver of a person’s life (which I know from personal relationship and experience that the staff at Bethel does put Jesus first) we know we can trust their heart. We have every right to disagree with them and we have every right to challenge them. In fact I believe that is Kingdom to do so. What we do not have a right to do is judge their heart or slander them, which I believe implying that they are leading people astray is doing. If you are always trying to lead people to Jesus, then you are not leading people astray. False prophets, whom Jesus and Paul and Peter warned us about, are focused on creating dissension and steering us toward a false Messiah. I see none of that at Bethel or even in this book. What I do see here is people trying to search out the mysteries of God and being open to seeing Him in aspects of life most of us don’t ever explore. Right or wrong, their heart is in the right place, and Jesus is their ultimate focus.
When I read a controversial book like the Physics of Heaven, I allow myself to be challenged. I take what is given me to scripture and to what is available to me in the world, as you have done James. I then try to learn about the authors, to see what they are like and what is driving them. Finally I decide where I agree with them, where I disagree with them, and where I simply don’t know. If I find they are outright distorting scripture or changing scripture, then I know I can’t find value in the writing. An example of this would be Love Wins, by Rob Bell, who blatantly changes scripture in order to promote his message of universalism. If I don’t find they are deliberately changing scripture or ignoring it to pursue their own gospel, but I still disagree, then I just leave them to their process.
I know a lot of Christians, even among Chapel or my church here in Texas, that believe and are into health or medical practices that I don’t believe can be justified by science. I know a lot of Christians who believe in things politically that I cannot fathom for the life of me how they could think such things. I know Christians who swear that having a glass of wine is a sin, when I can’t find any justification for that in scripture. Yet they believe it wholeheartedly. I know Christians who believe that eating meat is harmful and immoral and therefore are vegetarian. Paul says in Romans 14 to “not be double-minded, but be firmly convinced in your own mind.” These are on things that don’t ultimately matter. Because as long as Jesus is the focus, we’ll all arrive there eventually.
I know that at Bethel and with someone like Judy Franklin, Jesus is the focus, He is the center. And that is why I continually defend them when these things come up. Especially when their value as a church is questioned. I believe it’s unfair to hold them to a higher standard than we hold ourselves or our friends. And that’s why I try to challenge everyone I know who is skeptical of Bethel to actually plug in for a time. Go there or listen to their Sermon of the Week for a couple months. Develop some relationship with them before coming to judgment.
Once upon a time I was the one railing against Bethel on Facebook. Debating people about these “crazy things” I was hearing coming from the church. I was as skeptical as the place as I could be. Then one night while praying God told me clear as day, “Go to the source.” And I felt great conviction that I was standing against something that I barely knew. I went to the source, and 7 months later God told me to go to school there. He told me that I had the theology I needed to be a minister in life, but I needed to go to a place that could teach me how to better live my faith in action. That place was Bethel, and it changed my life. I grew to know Jesus there more intimately than I had ever known Him before. My theology hasn’t changed one bit since before I went there, I still believe the Bible is the Word of God and that every word of it is God-breathed. I believe Jesus is the only way to the Father. I believe it all the same, except for one thing, I now believe in the impossible a whole lot more.
That is what being at Bethel taught me, more than anything else. All I’m asking is that we be more careful about judging the value of an entire church, a church that is doing far more good than harm, before we have relationship with it.
I don’t think I have come across as judging Bethel, other than expressing concerns and skepticism, but this book is another matter. You said yourself up above, “I believe you are entirely correct to challenge the things written in this book. I believe you are correct to challenge them and be skeptical. I would do the same.
What I also want you to know is that the things written in this book and the authors themselves are hardly indicative of what Bethel church stands for or is pursuing.”
You mentioned that Kris Vallotton was admonished by Dann Farrelly, and that Kris has admitted to going too far. So within Bethel there has been correction, judgment, as within all churches. Well, all healthy churches. 🙂
You mentioned that we should not judge a church before having a relationship with it. I am not in a position to uproot my family and attend Bethel so I can have opinion, balanced with relationship. That is an unpractical and unreasonable condition. Nor do I need to have a relationship with a church headed by Rob Bell to form an opinion. I don’t think you do either.
For me the jury is still out on Bethel. If it produces Christ lovers like you Paul, then I give it a thumbs up. If it produces things like “The Physics of Heaven”, then I have concerns.
Your words and witness are powerful Paul. Thank you for sharing as you do. Blessings on you and your family.