Prasch, Hunt & Others 

Jacob Prasch of Moriel promotes Media Spotlight and The Berean Call. Many consider Media Spotlight and The Berean Call leadership to be experts on the occult and New Age. There's no doubt they have exposed much error. Albert Dager's Media Spotlight [February 2000] BOOKS [catalogue] includes this ad for Jacob Prasch:

"The Final Words of Jesus and Satan's Lies Today"  James Jacob Prasch 246 pages A discussion of present-day apostasy by a founder of ex-Catholics for Christ. Prasch addresses the various false teachings that have infiltrated the churches and compares them to Jesus' final prophetic words to His Church. Paperback $11.00"

Reaching Catholics For Christ (formerly ExCatholics For Christ) lists some of it's Authors as, Mike Gendron: "A devout Roman Catholic for more than 30 years, and 1991 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, Mike is the founder and director of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministry and a cofounder of ExCatholics For Christ..." 

"Dave Hunt: Since 1973, Dave has been investing himself in researching and the writing many books and articles dealing with the incursion into Western culture and religion, and finally the church itself, of Eastern as well as psychological and selfist philosophies, New Age thinking, ecumenism between Catholics and Protestants, and other heretical teachings. In addition to his books, his articles and responses to readers appear regularly in The Berean Call, monthly newsletter of The Berean Call ministry..."

James G. McCarthy: "Jim, a former Catholic, is one of the cofounders of ExCatholics For Christ..."

.T.A. McMahon: "...Tom is president and executive director of The Berean Call ministry, contributing editor/writer for The Berean Call newsletter, and co-author of The Seduction of Christianity, The New Spirituality, and Understand the Times. ...Tom is also cofounder and executive committee member of ExCatholics For Christ." http://www.reachingcatholics.org/mainpage.html

Not able to find information on the founding of ExCatholics for Christ, this author telephoned The Berean Call. Tom McMahon stated that the ECFC purpose is to pull smaller groups together  with a common goal of sharing information at Conferences. The original idea came from Jacob Prasch, who visited TBC and "wanted to start a ministry along the line of Jews for Jesus." It was "Jacob's vision and idea" that "we took and developed into ExCatholics for Christ." Although Jacob was on a panel at the first Conference in 1997 held at Jim McCarthy's church, he was never  recognized officially as a founder. According to Tom, the founders were Mike Gendron, Jim McCarthy, Greg Druel and himself with no official board, just a loosely organized steering committee.  Although he doesn't know Jacob well, McMahon described him as "a dynamic whirlwind."  55. 

In the telephone discussion with Mr. McMahon, when asked their view on charismatics, he said, "first, TBC are not cessationist." TBC recognizes there are theological differences, and don't agree with some things. However, they have some Charismatic ministries involved in ECFC.  They feel as long as they don't bring in issues that are counter productive to ECFC and focus on saving the Catholics, with the main doctrines of the faith, it works. 

This begs the question: What Scriptures and doctrine can we ignore and still remain in obedience to the Word of God?

Biblical Discernment Ministries recent article on Dave Hunt states:

 " It seems to be a little known fact that Dave Hunt is not a cessationist (one who believes not only that the canon of Scripture is closed, but also that new revelation from God is no longer being given). Hunt's roots are in Pentecostalism, from which he has never totally broken. (He was once excommunicated from the Plymouth Brethren for being too Pentecostal). His closest ties are with Chuck Smith and the Calvary Chapels, a moderately charismatic denomination. He thinks tongues and all gifts of the Spirit are for today, but warns that tongues are dangerously easy to fake and be deceived by (10/87, Eternity). In his testimony, he describes his experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues (7/14/86, Christian News). The 10/87 Heritage Herald had Hunt on the PTL Club guest list. Hunt not only believes in tongues, he apparently retains the Pentecostal/charismatic view of revelation. Hunt is supportive of Henry Blackaby (Experiencing God co-author), probably because his view of revelation is much the same. Hunt is a moderate charismatic, Blackaby a mystical Baptist (some call it Bapticostal)....The point is that both Hunt and Blackaby hold an open view of revelation -- God is still speaking today -- not contrary to, but definitely apart from, the Scriptures. Such a position will lead to errors of doctrine and practice, but most importantly, it is unbiblical." 56 

As shown in EJECCT, the signers of the EC Document, like CNP's John  Ankerberg, are also allied with various ministries  and including people like Dave Hunt.

"...Dave Hunt's favorable inclination towards "The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration" (EC): The editor of the Voice in the Wilderness wrote a letter to TBC regarding their favorable inclinations towards the text of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration" document. In the 7/99 The Berean Call newsletter, TBC expresses being "... thrilled at reading [EC's] affirmations of the true gospel ..." Dave Hunt, nor anyone else at TBC, has ever responded to that letter of concern. TBC's only concern over that document seemed to be the "bed-fellows" of those who had signed it. Otherwise, Hunt apparently agreed with those who endorsed the contents of the EC document."  

"...Those who believe in works to be saved or to maintain salvation are as lost as the Roman Catholic people the ECFA is seeking to bring to Christ. A denomination that believes that speaking in tongues is a necessary part of or the evidence of salvation has fallen into the same trap as Romanism. (Source: 2/1/99, Calvary Contender.)" 57 

The Association of Fundamentalists Evangelizing Catholics has issued a statement separating from the ECFC group,  "...It is unfortunate yet necessary that the AFEC separate from the organization "Ex Catholics For Christ" (ECFC) because of this doctrine of Separation. The founding body of ECFC (while having the same ultimate goal as AFEC, desiring to reach precious Roman Catholic people with the Gospel of Christ) has chosen, by their own admission, a more Neo-Evangelical approach." http://www.angelfire.com/ky/dodone/Reso/html

Biblical Discernment Ministries adds: "Dr. Bill Jackson, president of ... (AFEC), prepared a 6/18/99 statement on the EC document (see the 6/14/99, Christianity Today for the full text of the EC). This document has been endorsed by Charles Colson, Bill Bright [CNP], and J.I. Packer, all of whom also signed the controversial ECT documents of 1994 and 1997; as well as endorsed by R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur, and D. James Kennedy [CNP], all of whom publicly [albeit weakly] challenged and criticized them for signing the ECT documents." 58  For Chuck Colson See: Evangelicals and Catholics Together

This Neo-Evangelical approach seems to be also validated in a letter to one website dated Oct. 27, 1997.  Eric and Diane Groetz write: 

"...Mr. Hunt and others asked FCFC to join their new organization called "Ex Catholics For Christ" ... In their statements...they said if we join, we would be forbidden to rebuke others in this organization in matters of:

1. eternal security,

2. woman preachers,

3. charismatic movement or

4.  the KJV Bible issue."    59.

Jewel Van der Merwe, an ordained Pastor of the Assemblies of God, states she works closely with Dave Hunt and also, Al Dager. Jacob Prasch endorses each of these ministries as, “valid discernment ministries to alert the church and give understanding to the many” and “we stand by them all as comrades in Christ’s cause.”  

The obvious conflict to Scripture of a woman pastor, and the above statements begs the questions. Was the Bible for private interpretation? Is a disobedient teaching and interpretation acceptable based on who interprets or presents it? 

In the Question & Answer section of the  September 1996 issue of  THE BEREAN CALL, we read of the full support of the same Bible Codes that Chuck Missler and Grant Jeffrey and many others promote.

"...Based upon that limited knowledge and experience, I see no alternative but to believe God encoded the Torah with these and many other sequences involving modern persons..."

Further, the February 1998 issue of the The Berean Call,  "Back to the Bible 'Code," by Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon rescind that support and state, "...the primary claim is that God not only communicated through the normal text ...he encoded words, hidden for more than three millenia which could only be deciphered through ...computers. We stated in the past TBC newsletters (10/96; 2/97) that if the claim held up under valid scrutiny, we could see "no alternative but to believe God encoded the Torah...." "Selected words are searched ...the method uses a skip code...ELS....Our earlier willingness to go along with the "code" was based upon the assumption that it was founded upon irrefutable mathematics. That now seems clearly not to be the case, There are enough qualified experts who claim to be able to refute the "code" to cause us to back away from giving it any credence."

After discussing the idea that the whole thing was to prove God's Word to be true through scientific means, they then go into the Scriptures. That should have been the guide in the first place as to whether the Codes were a valid belief. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

We need no proof about the Word of God from science--you believe by faith or you do not. ELS is merely a version of the many methods and computations of,  "Gematria (Heb.). A division of the practical Kabbalah. It shows the numerical value of Hebrew words by summing up the values of the letters composing them; and further, it shows by this means, analogies between words and phrases. [w.w.w.] One of the methods (arithmetical) for extracting the hidden meaning from letters, words and sentences..." 60

Aside from our writings in Literal Kabbalah: Gematria and Numerology, the web site of Theomatics provides these insights into Bible codes and it's various names. Theomatics suggests that ELS is not gematria.

"Presently, there are two types of Bible codes. One is the ELS evidence (Equi-distant Letter Sequences), also known as "Torah Codes."

The other kind of code is "theomatics." The foundational basis for theomatics has been known for thousands of years, ever since the time before Christ. It is commonly referred to by the term gematria. It was in 1975 that this original code in the Bible ~ known for thousands of years but never deciphered ~ began to reveal itself ..." 61 

Isaiah 48:16 "Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning..."

Dave Hunt and The Berean Call May 1993 issue are in agreement with other leaders who teach Jesus died spiritually. Mr. Hunt attends Bend Bible Fellowship, which is a Plymouth Brethren Church. Tom McMahon attends Eastmont Church in Bend which is Conservative Baptist.

"Question: In the March/April 1993 issue, of Perhaps Today, Jack Van Impe writes that Jesus died spiritually..."the Lord Jesus Christ took both the first and second death-the grave and the Lake of Fire upon Himself when He died." Pastor David Hocking also taught that Jesus died spiritually. Recently, on the radio, Chuck Smith stated that Jesus' Spirit died. Did Jesus die spiritually? Was the Trinity separated? If the Spirit of God died, who was in charge of the universe while God was dead...?"

Answer: Van Impe, Hocking, and Smith are Biblically correct in this regard. Confusion arises because "Jesus Died Spiritually (JDS)" is the label attached to the heresy taught by Hagin, Copeland and other "word-faith teachers"..." 

If "JDS" is heresy when one person teaches it, it's heresy when another teaches it. Our Eternal, Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Infinite, Unchangeable, Living God, who is Spirit, died Spiritually?  Jesus Christ is God manifested in the flesh and has the same attributes as the Father, "For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." Col.2:9

John 16:15 "All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you."

1 John 1:1-2 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us:)

Hebrew 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself  without spot to God, to purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

John 14:16, 18  "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; v.18. "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

We must wonder if they have all forgotten what Jesus himself, whose 'body' and "blood" was sacrificed, said to the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43 "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." 

Hebrews 10:10 "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Colossians 1:20-21 " And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

1 Peter 2:24  "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

Psalm 16:10   David speaking: "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

John 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God."

1 John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." 

Dave Hunt and Tom McMahon have also been taken to task on the issue of presenting information which excluded the need for Repentance as part of the Gospel. Biblical repentance means "to turn away." Repentance also means sorrow or regret for wrongdoing. To repent is to feel sorrow or remorse for one's sins and to seek forgiveness.  The following is from the TBC January, 2000 TBC newsletter Q/A's. 

Question: I enjoyed your little book, The Nonnegotiable Gospel-so I bought several of them to hand out....But when I went through your little book again, guess what? I could not find the word "repentance" mentioned anywhere! Also at one place you said there is nothing for us to do. Dear brother, but there is, it is to repent....Couldn't you...make one small change and say rather, "There is nothing for us to do but to repent!" 
Answer: Thank you for your letter. I appreciate the point you are making that there is no call to repent in The Nonnegotiable Gospel. Paul preached "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 20:21); Jesus said, "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mt 9:13); the disciples, when first sent out by Jesus, "preached that men should repent" (Mk 6:12); and the early church rejoiced when they realized that God had to the Gentiles "granted repentance unto life" (Acts 11:18). 
And yet the words "repent," "repentance," or "repented" are not found in the entire Gospel of John, the Gospel to which evangelicals most often direct a person for salvation. Did the Holy Spirit blunder in leaving repentance out? Nor is there anything specific about repentance in the gospel as Paul defines it in 1 Corinthians 15. In fact, repentance is by no means a major theme of the New Testament. Why? 
Could it be because repentance is implicit in believing the gospel? To believe that Christ died for my sins, I must believe that I am a sinner and that my sin makes me worthy of God's judgment, which Christ took for me. Thus believing the gospel includes a turning from sin toward God through Christ. By receiving Him, I am in fact repenting through a total change of mind toward God. And God, who knows the heart, knows this without it being articulated in a certain way by the sinner coming to Christ. 
Since the Bible doesn't specify repentance as part of the gospel whereby sinners are saved, I dare not do so either. I'm not saying it might not be good to preach repentance in The Nonnegotiable Gospel, but it would require considerable explanation. Might not requiring repentance cause some confusion? What exactly is meant by repentance? How thorough must repentance be? Must the person repent of every sin ever committed? Is he then under obligation to live a life above sin? Might this put a burden upon the sinner which he cannot bear, not yet realizing that Christ will give him the strength to live a new life? I had not consciously left out repentance, but I think it is best left that way. 

To suggest that because some Evangelicals choose to focus on one book of the Bible versus all Scriptures pertaining to the issue is not a valid argument. It is rather an admission that there is a serious flaw in what some are teaching. Jesus speaking in Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Jesus speaking in Matthew 28:20 "Teaching them to observe ALL things whatsoever I have commanded you..."

Jesus speaking in Luke 24:46-47 "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning in Jerusalem."

Jesus also addressed the issue of those who keep ALL his words and commandments: John 15:14 "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."

John 15:7,10 "If ye abide in me and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments."

Dave Hunt's association and support of Calvary Chapels has a long history. The BDM article on Hunt states: "In seeing Hunt's printed speaking itinerary each month in the TBC newsletters, noting the "labels" of some of the places where he speaks, one wonders "how" he gains entrance into places which seem to be some of the very ones he "targets" in his writings, as being part of the apostasy and false teachings in the church. The churches of the Calvary Chapel movement fall into this same category. Even though Dave Hunt has been a frequent speaker for churches in the Calvary Chapel movement (almost from the inception of his public ministry), to glance at his speaking itineraries in the 12/99 and 1/00 TBC newsletters, one would think that Hunt has now become an official Calvary Chapel circuit rider. "  62 

Chuck Smith is Pastor and founder of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa; David Hocking is one of his CC Pastors and Jack Van Impe--he embraces Rome amongst other things. From the AFEC web site, in the article, "Jack Van Impe's Compromise" we read his own words:

"I have taught for years about Russia's involvement in end-time prophecy. Now this has been verified by the third secret of the Lady of Fatima." 
"John Paul II - that great man of God." 
"Someone had the nerve to insult that godly lady, Mother Teresa." 63 

Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries promotes the ministries almost identical to Jacob Prasch, such as Berean Call, Grant Jeffrey, Chuck Missler [CNP], Lambert Dolphin, Calvary Chapels and so on.

Since people like Jacob Prasch, Tricia Tillin and many others have publicly declared themselves as sent by God to warn people and to be followed, we must ask: 

What Discernment is it that has Jacob Prasch and others calling some brother or sister in the Lord, who walk beside people they have also proclaimed as heretics, false prophets or false teachers? In many cases they promote these same people on their websites or in their materials?  

What is it that allows a person to issue statements that they do not support for example, The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, by saying, "The Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research is founded on the erroneous belief that the gospels cannot be fully understood except in an Hebraic context." while upholding and working with those that do? 

How could Jacob Prasch in the same breath teach that same heresy. ""It takes the wisdom of the ancients to really understand these things…not the wisdom of the 16th century, but the wisdom of the first century."

There is a pattern of inconsistencies and contradictions. How can people having Discernment walk alongside people clearly involved in false teaching or the Ecumenical Movement?  

How can declared 'experts' on the occult not recognize the occult?

Biblically they can’t.

Hebrew 5:13-14 " For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

 Jesus said in Matthew 12:33,

 “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”

We know that Jacob Prasch, Tricia Tillin, Lambert Dolphin and many others also promote Calvary Chapels. In Jacob Prasch's Newsletter #14, he says that conservative Pentecostal churches like Calvary Chapel churches will replace other Pentecostal churches. 

"Likewise, Calvary Chapels, Light & Life Mission and other more conservative Pentecostals Movements are being raised up by the Lord to replace the declining Pentecostal churches of yesterday." http://www.moriel.org/articles.htm

Oddly, Jacob Prasch is echoing Rick Joyner in his article, Azusa Steet, The Fire That Could Not Die, published by Morning Star Publications in 1996.

"...Even as fractured and divided as the Pentecostal Movement may presently be, it has the destiny and calling to help bring unity to the whole church. The fire still burns in the Pentecostal Movement. The fire will burn until all of the wood, hay and stubble has been consumed, and the gold, silver and precious stones have been purified. Each movement may be fashioned into a different stone, but the day is coming when we will all be fashioned together into one crown of glory." http://www.christianword.org/revival/fire.html

We must understand the connections and true theology that binds so many to walk together under the umbrella of being called "Christian." The facts when weighed to Scriptural truth will prove who or what each is. 

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

When one delves into the beginnings of any group or doctrine, it is apparent that the task is not a simple one. The myriad of people and outside influences is immense. However, we know that there are certain foundations to the listed groups. 

"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. 1 John 3:23-24

 

Next Section: The Prophecy Club & Elijah 

Previous Section: More Ecumenical "Comrades" 

Footnotes

55. Telephone conversation w/Tom McMahon, The Berean Call, Thursday, March 23, 11:20 A.M

56. http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/hunt/general.htm

57. Ibid

58. Ibid

59. http://balaams-ass.com/journal/resource/davehunt.htm

60. To Embrace Hebrew Roots, Part VIII, Literal Kabbalah: Gematria & Numerology

61..http://www.theomatics.com/theomatics/whatis.html

62. http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/hunt/general.htm BDM

63. http://www.angelfire.com/ky/dodone/Impe.html

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