Bergoglio: Welcoming False Prophets

 

The Deposit of Revelation ended with the death of the last Apostle, St. John, in the year 100 A.D. That's the teaching of the Church, but Bergoglio seems to disagree. Only the Catholic Church has claim to the title Christian in the strict theological sense, for She alone follows Her Divine Founder, Jesus Christ. Ever since the so-called "Protestant Reformation" there have been thousands of sects falsely claiming the title "Christian." In common parlance, the term was used to designate those who believed in the Trinity, Incarnation and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As time went by, even those basic doctrines began to be obscured or implicitly denied by some new sects.

The "Charismatic Movement" came with bizarre and demonic practices like snake-handling, "speaking in tongues," and even "holy laughter."  However, there is a new movement that makes the Charismatics seem normal in comparison. The movement is not really "new:" it has its roots in the 1970s, but it has really grown in leaps and bounds starting circa 2010. Calling itself  The New Apostolic Reformation or "NAR," they seek to establish themselves as a "new Branch" of Christianity along with the Vatican II sect ("Catholicism"), Eastern Schismatics, and Protestantism. They hold that Christ continues to appoint "Apostles" and "Prophets" today. Revelation is ongoing and the Bible can be supplemented by these "revelations." NAR is a descriptive term for all the churches that teach this, most notably the 11,000 member Bethel Church in California. 

This post shall outline their strange (even occult) practices, and how Bergoglio wants them in his sect. 

Raising The Dead?

Bethel Church has two pastors, Bill Johnson (the "Apostle"--pictured above), and Kris Vallotton (the "Prophet") who have written numerous bestselling books, like When Heaven Invades Earth and Supernatural Ways of Royalty. In 2019, the following tragedy made headlines around the globe:

On December 14, 2019, two-year-old Olive Heiligenthal was sleeping in her bed and suddenly stopped breathing. When this was discovered, her family called 911, and paramedics rushed her to the hospital. But it was too late. Olive had died. Most grieving parents would have planned a funeral. But not Olive’s parents. Her mother, Kalley—a worship leader at Bethel—and her father, Andrew, refused to accept her death. Based on their peculiar understanding of the Bible—taught to them by Bethel Church leaders—they appeared 100 percent convinced that God would raise Olive from the dead. So they kept her body at the local morgue—just for a bit—while they waited for her to come back to life. Through social media, Bethel leaders urged Christians around the world to join the parents in “declaring” a resurrection because they believed their spoken words, as children of God, had the power to bring Olive back. The hashtag #wakeupolive went viral. Tens of thousands across the globe joined the chorus of “declarations” posted to Facebook and Instagram.

American singer and songwriter Kari Jobe made what must have been a startling announcement to her one million followers: “We’re still standing in faith for Olive to wake up.” The story was picked up by national news. The Washington Post, the Daily Mail, USA Today, Slate, and BuzzFeed were among the many high-profile media outlets that covered it. BuzzFeed used words like heartbreaking and horrifying in this description of the church’s attempts to raise Olive. Do a search for Olive's name and see the multiple news sources covering this event. Finally, after six days, the church suddenly gave up. USA Today declared: “Olive Hasn’t Been Raised: After Praying for a Miracle, Girl’s Family Now Plans Memorial.” Many other news organizations ran similar headlines. The conclusion to the dramatic events of the previous week was anticlimactic. Bethel leaders sent out a press release announcing that the family had begun planning a memorial service. Their attempts to raise her had been loud and took place very much in the public eye. In contrast, the service was planned quietly and held behind the scenes. Almost as if they were hoping to draw as little attention as possible to the funeral—and their failure to raise Olive.

There were saints who raised the dead, by an exceptional gift of God. It is not something that anyone can do by "declaring a resurrection." This only serves the enemies of Christ by making belief in the resurrection look nonsensical. Yet nonsense is exactly what NAR peddles.

"Grave Sucking"

What would make a bunch of college-age students hang around a graveyard? The desire for miraculous powers. Some will be sprawled on their backs on the tops of grave markers. Others will lay face down on the grass before the headstones. Some will even roll-up in a fetal position in front of a tombstone, as though nourishing himself/herself on the corpse’s "still-living spiritual power."

 NAR people call this power the “anointing.” Bethel Church has a  Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM), and it has been called a "Christian Hogwarts." (Hogwarts is the name for the school of witchcraft in the Harry Potter series of books). This practice is occult and the occult can in no way be Christian in any sense of the word. They would visit the gravesites of well-known “miracle-workers”—such as the British faith healer Smith Wigglesworth and the American “healing” evangelist Kathryn Kuhlman—and try to “suck” (or “soak”) up the dead miracle workers’ powers. What reason did they give for their ghoulish goings-on? They pointed to a little-known Bible verse, 2 Kings 13:21. It’s the story of when a dead man’s body came into contact with Eliseus’s bones and the man came to life. "And some that were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus. And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood upon his feet." NAR will cherry-pick Bible verses to invent strange and occult practices. Grave sucking is a form of the occult practice of spiritism---making contacts with spirits or their power. (See https://bssm.net/school/introduction/).

Wakey, Wakey

This sounds so insane, it should be called "wacky, wacky." Did you know there are thousands of angels so bored that they fall asleep and need people to wake them up? Neither did I. Beni Johnson, wife of "Apostle" Bill Johnson, talks about "sensing angels sleeping" and saying "wakey, wakey" to get them awake. Seriously. She relates one such episode:

One morning as we were driving up over Tehachapi Pass and coming down into the Mojave Desert, I began to feel angels. The closer we got, the stronger the impression felt. I could see them everywhere! Whenever there are angels present, I get very animated and excited, knowing that God is up to something big. I announced this to the group and said, “We have got to stop! We have to stop somewhere.” We found an exit, took it, and drove into this little town. We didn’t really know what to do or where to go. We just knew that something was going on and we needed to find out what. As we drove around a corner I said, “I think that we are going to wake up some angels here.” No sooner had I said that than we drove past a hotel to our left and, no joke, the name of the store was Mariah Country Inn. When I saw that sign, we immediately remembered the wakey story from Wales. We knew we were to turn around, get out of the RV and wake up the angels. I wish I could convey to you the energy and the quickness of how God was working. We jumped out of the RV, I blew the shofar [a trumpet made from a ram’s horn] and rang the bell, and we yelled, “WAKEY.” We got back into the RV and drove off. As we drove off, hilarious laughter broke out! We were stunned at the speed at which this all took place and were spinning from the adventure and the angelic activity. What in the world has just happened?! Heaven collided with earth. Woo hoo!!” (I could no longer find this video from which this story came but here ia another video where she tells the same story---https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q25oPxQ7zH0&t=314s). 

Jenn Johnson (The "Apostle's" daughter-in-law) said she was thinking about angels worshipping around the Throne of God, and she thought of ways the angels probably laugh and goof off when they’re circling the Throne. These thoughts came to her mind: “I bet they text each other. I bet they have farting contests.” (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdeqtJvkE5w at 4:35-4:45).

NAR treats holy things as commonplace and trite. It is blasphemous. 

NAR Ended Racism

Were you aware racism is gone forever? Yes, it happened because several "Apostles" reenacted a scene from The Lord of the Rings movie. To watch this lunacy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8b3yumhMNU

NAR and the New Age Occult Connection

The following are excerpts from a book The Physics of Heaven [2012], by Judy Franklin and Ellyn Davis, both believers in NAR. The "Prophet"  Kris Vallotton wrote the preface, and "Apostle" Bill Johnson wrote two chapters. Therefore, the book is indeed indicative of the movement. They blasphemously assert that New Age occultism was really Christian first, and then those practices were appropriated by the New Age for its own purposes. That this "reformation" movement is clearly occult can be seen in the following quotes:

• Ellyn has had a desire to bridge the gap between Christianity and the discoveries of quantum physics as well as discover God truths hidden in quantum mysticism and the New Age

• Because I believe what the Lord has been showing both of us (authors)  is the absolute truth that will help us bring God’s kingdom to this earth. The Lord is ready to use sound, light, and energy in ways we never dreamed.

• Jesus calmed storms. We should be able to do that too. Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, raised the dead. We have that same power within us.

• It wasn’t that I wanted to become a New Ager, I just wanted to find out if maybe they had uncovered some truths the church hadn’t.

• 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, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and more. These actually belong to the church, but they have been stolen and cleverly repackaged.

• Now we are beginning to hear more and more revelation that is in line with what New Agers have been saying all along and we are hearing more and more teaching about Christians “taking back truths” from the New Age that really belong to citizens of the Kingdom of God.

• They all agree that the next move of God will cause a shift at the deepest level of who we are—perhaps at the very “vibrational level” that the New Age movement has been exploring.

Who Is Kris Vallotton?

Partnering with Bill Johnson is Kris Vallotton, the senior associate leader at Bethel and the church’s chief “prophet.” Unlike an "apostle," who calls the shots in a NAR church and has the final say in all important decisions, the prophet’s job is to receive direct revelation from God and share it with the apostle. Thus, an apostle and prophet will often team up, as Johnson and Vallotton have done. These two claim to have formed a special “covenant” relationship that is intended to be lifelong and allows them to tap into each other’s miraculous gifts and anointings.

Vallotton claims to have had remarkable encounters with God. During one encounter in 1985, "Christ" told him that he had a special calling regarding his life. Jesus walked into my bathroom amid my evening bath and told me, “I have called you to be a prophet to the nations. You will speak before kings and queens. You will influence prime ministers and presidents. I will open doors for you to talk to mayors, governors, ambassadors, and government officials all around the world.”

(See https://www.krisvallotton.com/prophetic-gifting-vs-calling)

In 1998, Vallotton was invited by Johnson to join him at Bethel and start the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. Vallotton writes: That same year, I was lying on the floor and praying one morning when the Lord spoke to me so clearly that it stunned me. He said, There is a new epoch season emerging in this hour. Much like the Protestant Reformation, there is another reformation coming that will unearth the very foundation of Christianity. This move of the Spirit will absolutely redefine your ideologies and philosophies concerning what the Church is and how she should function. I asked Him, What will this transition look like? He said, My Church is moving from denominationalism to apostleships. (See Heavy Rain: How to Flood Your World with God’s Transforming Power [2016], ch. 1, pg.27; Emphasis mine). 

Vallotton has since become a bestselling author. Under his leadership, Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry—a three-year, full-time program—has grown from an annual enrollment of just thirty-seven students to more than 2,600. His rising reputation as a "prophet" landed Vallotton a meeting with Bergoglio himself.

A False Prophet Welcomed by a False Pope

In 2016, the Argentinian apostate of the Modernist-occupied Vatican met with Vallotton. This is how false prophet Vallotton himself characterizes the meeting:

This week I had the privilege of meeting with Pope Francis. It was probably one of the highlights of my life. He was funny, warm and very spiritual.

I was invited, along with several other pastors, to a small connect forum with Pope Francis because he has a deep passion for unity among Believers – and I do mean DEEP!

We spent about two hours asking him questions about whatever was on our hearts. His opening comments blessed me. He said, “We must invite the prophets back into the church and welcome them with open arms.” I thought it was interesting that this was his opening comment. Of course, many of the pastors looked over and smiled at me... He made it clear that theology shouldn’t divide us. I also think he was making a point that he wasn’t a theologian, in that he said “they” should work it out while “we” love people.(To read the whole unabridged article; See https://www.krisvallotton.com/pope-francis; Emphasis in this excerpt mine). 

There was a question when Bergoglio was asked if Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Francis replied "the only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ." Notice he omitted that a fiduciary, fuzzy "faith" that "Jesus saves me" does nothing. It is through Christ IN HIS ONE TRUE CHURCH. There was no attempt to proselytize only "welcome them in" because "proselytism is solemn nonsense." 

So isn't this just another example of Vatican II sect ecumenism? Ecumenical, yes, but in my opinion, far more odious. Bergoglio is acknowledging that there are still "apostles" and "prophets" that receive continuing Divine Revelation. Moreover, "God" sanctions wacky, and even occult practices. As the NAR grows, Bergoglio may welcome them in some special way that they begin to have direct influence on the trajectory the VII sect is taking "from denominationalism to apostleships."

Conclusion

“Apostles” and “prophets” in the New Apostolic Reformation lure their followers with the promise of blessings. Blessings are the bait. They claim they have something no other church leaders have. Apostles and prophets have the "new revelations" their followers need to "develop miraculous powers," bring God’s kingdom, and fulfill His Will on Earth. These are occult lies, and Bergoglio, far from warning against them and condemning them--embraces them as "Christians." Don't be fooled and pray harder than ever for God's mercy and protection.