Signs & Wonders Blog

Normally I’m not quick to un-friend fellow believers on Facebook.   I recognize all of us are at different levels of spiritual maturity.   Still, one disturbing trend I’ve noticed is professing Christians posting profanity online.   Earlier this year I issued a statement on my wall rebuking those who repeatedly engage in such activity.   In response, a (now former) friend wrote, “I train my kids to say s*** like a true apostle.”   I was shocked to read this.   My mother would have washed my mouth out with soap if I said a word like that to her! Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines apostle as “a person deputed to execute some important business; but appropriately, a disciple of Christ.”   The Greek word for apostle is apostolos, which means “one who is sent”; “messenger”, “envoy”, and “ambassador.”   Apostolos was derived from a sailing term meaning to send a particular ship or group of ships, a marine expedition, or the leader of suc...

This year the Trinity Broadcasting Network celebrates its 40 th anniversary.   I used to watch TBN often especially during the early 1990s.   Their programming (as well as teachings from other ministries) helped me grow as a young Christian.   For awhile, my then-pastor had his TV program broadcast on TBN.   In 2003, I got to tour TBN’s headquarters in Santa Ana, California .   During which I met an evangelist named Edward who usually visited TBN once a month but hadn’t been there in three months.   That morning the Lord specifically told Edward, “Go to TBN!”   After buying one of my Evangelism 101  books, Edward said he would teach from it that night in a prison he ministers at.   That would explain why I went through a lot of spiritual warfare that day. Then in 2006, an incident occurred that didn’t set well with me.   While watching one of TBN’s Praise-A-Thons, I called to make a donation but asked them not to sen...

Recently I got together with an old friend for coffee. Her expressing interest in going to Germany inspired me to show her photos on my laptop from the times I went there. A few of the photos were from a Reinhard Bonnke meeting at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. During which, a Nigerian pastor testified of being raised from the dead after receiving glimpses of both heaven and hell. My friend’s attitude suddenly changed as she called that “satanic” and said, “I’ll bet you a million dollars this is not true!” When I mentioned Jesus’ commandment in Matthew 10:8 to “raise the dead” , she said that was for the Jews only. I found out my friend believes “Paul’s gospel” and claimed the apostle didn’t raise anyone from the dead. In response, I reminded her of the incident of Eutychus falling out of a window. My friend insisted it was Peter who God used to bring that dead man back to life. Not wanting to debate doctrine with my friend, I changed the subject. But when I got home, I ...