Wednesday, August 21, 2019

What Happened After We Left House Fire Ministries? Part 2

If you haven't read my first post about how we fell into a false movement, here it is.  My Uneasy Experience at House Fire Ministries
House Fire Facebook Page

After we decided to walk away from House Fire Ministries there was definitely a sadness in our home.  We were so excited to help start something new.  I was disappointed in myself for not first talking to my pastor to get some insight and cautions, but mostly the fact that I didn't PRAY FIRST.  I had even felt a check in my heart about going and that they were rushing things but I ignored it.

You see, everything about the New Apostolic Reformation Movement makes a normal biblical church boring.  You don't see "signs and wonders" all over the place.  That's the thing about the movement, you constantly get bored and need to see something new otherwise maybe God isn't moving.  My hunger for Jesus turned into my hunger for signs and wonders and prophesies given personally to me.  


One thing I learned the hard way, you don't have to accept any prophesy given and to test it to the Word of God.  Satan knows personal things about us too and often what can reel us in is that they are able to say personal things about our life which is called a word of knowledge.  I'm not saying anything I was told in the beginning was bad.  Honestly, I thought the beginning of our experience when House Fire Ministries was a bible study was GREAT.  It was warm, welcoming, ect.  I don't know if it started out great and later changes creeped in, or if I was deceived to begin with.  God is the judge on that.  I DO know that once the bible study was moved to a building, I began to receive and hear false prophesies that DID NOT match up to scripture.  In fact, it fed to my ego and pride.  At first I fell hook, line, and sinker but once God opened my eyes I realized that it was a tactic of Satan and it was like bait in front of me.  

I remember the day my eyes were opened and that Friday night was coming where I had to be at House Fire Ministries.  I was to watch kiddos there because I was in charge of the kids ministry.  And man, I had an amazing setup that I spent lots of money on and many, many hours of planning.  I was dreading going but still kind of testing the water.  I knew I needed to leave but it was going to be a test to see if I still felt checked in my heart.  This was after my son saw a demon hovering over the building and another lady saying she felt a demon crawling about in the service.  I DEFINITELY felt different when I showed up that Friday night. My heart was CHECKED big time.  I couldn't ignore it.  In fact, I ordered all my kids and teens to stay with me in the kids area except for Ryan because he did set up and tear down.  By the time service was done I cleaned the kids area one last time, looked around, and knew that was my last time.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough and grabbed my kids to leave quickly.  It's hard to explain.  I just knew this was not where God wanted me.  

Two days later we were back at our Sunday church and I remember when I walked in how CLEAN it felt.  I noticed how many scriptures my pastor put in his messages, his sermon made sense and matched up to scripture, the songs felt clean, there was order.  I felt SAFE.  I knew I was right back to where God wanted us. Where we had been growing for the last 6 years. (This is the church House Fires says isn't on fire for God.)

My husband called the House Fire Ministries leader to talk to the husband but eventually the wife got on the line and wanted to weigh in.  When talking to Tony it was sensible and calm but things turned way more stressful when Sumi got on the line.  It went from just discussing things to a more heated conversation.  We noticed words being used like, "touch not God's anointed," and other phrases to try and convince us we had no right to question their headship.  This is worrisome because it's always a bad sign in cults when you can't question anything.  Especially if what they believe can't be backed up by scripture or scripture that is used is way out of context.  

All of our kids and teens were relieved to be staying at our home church.  So was I.  But we had one son who wanted to stay at House Fire Ministries and it's MAINLY because he felt so needed and he loves to be needed.  He's very, very dedicated and didn't want to leave them hanging.  I allowed him to go a couple more times to show them how to set up and tear down and also told him that when he's 18 he can decide what he wants. That gave me 4 months to hope and pray he would see what we were seeing clearly.  4 months for him to be out of the fog of deception and see things from the outside.  He had fully planned on attending right up till his birthday and thank goodness, last minute he saw clearly.  Praise God!

Because we left we had lost our friendships there, which is so sad because we were growing close.  The few people we were friends with there were polite after we left and gracious (except the leaders) but some of their posts on facebook and constant prophesies were hard to stomach so I eventually had to unfollow.  I knew it wasn't right and I didn't want to fall back into it. Also, if you really pay attention you'll notice false prophets want constant attention and post a lot about all the trials they are going through because of their special relationship with God.  Oftentimes it'll make others wonder why God won't do the same for them.  I know I felt less than as a Christian because I didn't "have words dropped in my spirit" several times a day.  I prayed, read my bible, wrote journals to Jesus, but never came close to hearing constant prophesies in my head and when I was in the movement, people could drop prophesies left and right. Like it was common and easy.  I felt like the odd person out because I couldn't do that.

Apparently, there are prophesy schools that are pumping out prophets. They are releasing these newly made prophets out into churches and it's spreading.  The NAR movement even has their own language and you can buy a book to learn how to talk and give prophesies with these particular words.  Here is a piece taken on from the link warning about this book:
When I discovered this book, I had two main thoughts. First, I was pleased to find a resource to explain the vast array of NAR terms–terms that can be baffling to people who are not closely acquainted with NAR teachings. Second, I recalled a wise caution I had read by a seminary professor named Andrew Jackson. The caution was about the dangers of Christian movements using “insider language” and was printed in an article Jackson wrote, titled “Forerunner Eschatology,” which critiques the end-time teachings of Mike Bickle, founder of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri (an NARorganization). Jackson wrote:
“A cautionary red light should go on whenever we discover any church or Christian movement creating, and extensively using, their own exclusive language. The habitual use of insider language by a Christian movement can develop a we-are-different culture vis-a-vis the greater church. Soon a person’s use of prescribed terms and phrases is the way to determine whether they are true ‘insiders.’ It can also easily create a ‘us’ and ‘them’ attitude within the Body of Christ. Many Christians living within such a cloistered culture can often find it difficult to leave or relate with other Christians, who do not speak ‘their language,’ and who are frequently seen as spiritually lukewarm or compromising.”
Jackson’s words should be heeded by those who have found themselves associating with NAR churches. The very fact that an entire dictionary of “apostolic and prophetic” terms had to be created indicates just how widespread the use of “insider language” is in the NAR movement. The NAR practice of using insider language has caused significant and painful division in the body of the Christ.
— Holly Pivec

House Fire Ministries doesn't believe they are part of the NAR movement and I haven't really put that label on them.  But they do invite NAR preachers that clearly say they are a part of the movement right on their web pages.  They use a lot of the same lingo and follow some of the same patterns as Bethal church in Redding, California and Nathan Morris.  (Also, Heidi Baker)

In a separate post I will talk about what my son Chaz went through as a result of getting involved in this, the impartations, and what came as a result.  We are still battling it and he is going through deliverance.  This stuff is serious, guys, and maybe for some they are deceived but don't have anything happen.  For Chaz, it almost took his LIFE.


Beware, friends.  Even if it feels new and exciting, match everything up to scripture.  




7 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this. I'm so so glad you listened to Holy Spirit and left. I cannot wait until your next entry. Praying for Chaz. Praying for all of you.

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    1. Thank you for your reply! It'll take a lot to explain. Whew! But I need to.

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  2. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this down and share it. May God protect you every day, as He is your refuge.

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  3. The Collins Clan if I may, when we refer to the Holy Spirit of Scripture, He is THE Holy Spirit, not a Holy Spirit.

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  4. You're correct. My neighbor invited me to a NAR church. Huntsville, AL. It was strange. I knew something was not right. I googled the church where I visited for a few Sunday's. I really believe the Tongues, Praying in Jesus Name, and Healings were false. In my spirit I just did not feel that this group was right. They are against the Trinity. That is igorance. They speak of other denominations as just "Religious". No Power or having right Authority. They in the Apostolic belief only speak of God,the Creator, and Jesus. I know the Holy Spirit, and I have seen God move in the denominations the apostolic's call Religious. -Judith

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  5. You made such an interesting piece to read, giving every subject enlightenment for us to gain knowledge. Thanks for sharing the such information with us to read this... Louie Turner Christian author

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! I'm looking to publish it eventually. Just not sure where to start.

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Comment kindly, my friends. :)

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