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Thursday, December 19, 2019

BETHEL CHURCH ‘DEAD RAISING TEAM’ FAILS TO SAVE 2-YEAR-OLD By News Division

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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Pouncing on the tragic death of a little girl, the Doctrinal Police are happy to say the most egregious, evil things about people whose only "mistake" is praying that this child might be raised from the dead.

You see, it's more important to love your doctrine than love others. It's more important to mock and ridicule those who beliefs are different than it is to show compassion for hurting people.

Pulpit and Pen has now descended into the depths, and cannot be regarded as a trustworthy Christian website.
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In spite of having a dead-raising team who specialize (sic) in bringing the deceased back to life, Bethel Church was unable to resurrect a two-year-old despite repeated pleas for help from a leader of their church and music performance team.

Jenn Johnson, who heads up Bethel Music and is a regular preacher at Bethel Church (pastored and founded by her father-in-law, Bill Johnson), repeatedly called out for the resurrection of a two-year-old from the dead over the weekend. It was tragic, and we should pray for divine comfort for the child’s family and that He might be gracious in his providence. (A cursory show of compassion that will be walked back in short order.)



No individual is credibly reported to have been raised from the dead since Paul raised Eutychus in Acts 20. (An astonishing and undocumented claim. A cursory search yielded this.)

This miraculous feat was done by God through the prophets and Apostles (there are ten reported cases in the Bible, other than Jesus). However, Bethel Church is a part of the New Apostolic Reformation, which believes they are modern-day prophets and Apostles, complete with all their power.

Bethel Church reportedly has dead raising teams, as covered in the Redding Searchlight publication. The Dead Raising Team, run by Tyler Johnson, was lauded by Bill Johnson in a sermon in 2008, in which he commended it as a ministry to be supported and promoted by the congregation. Their goal is simple; raise the dead. To date, the team claims to have raised 12 people (there is no supporting evidence for even one of these claims). (Ironic that the author demands proof after having claimed the opposite without proof.)

Johnson, the Dead Raising Team founder, is a graduate of the Bethel School of the Supernatural. Bethel Church repeatedly recalls claims of resurrections and their youth are known to visit graves and demand people raise from the dead.

Jenn Johnson continued to pray the child be raised to life via her instagram page.



And she continued some more…


Bethel Church followers continued to ‘decree and declare’ by the thousands that the child raise from the dead.

She is continuing the cry out for this on the third day of the child’s death…



Of course, Bethel Church does not have the power to raise the dead. (No one has claimed a "church" has the power to raised the dead.)

This is not the Apostolic age, and there are no Apostles or prophets (because we have the written word of God, Hebrews 1:1-2). (The author's first documented statement. Let's quote the verse:
He. 1:1-2 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
Do you see anything here about the "written word of God?"

Do you see anywhere in this verse where there are no apostles or prophets?

Do you see anywhere that this verse requires an apostle or prophet to raise the dead?

Do you see anything here that forbids us to ask God to raise a dead person? 

Nope. 

We are astonished the author would cite a verse to support his doctrinal position that contains absolutely nothing about the assertion he makes.)

Some will look at this article and think it is cruel. (Because it is.)

Compare it to the actions of Jenn Johnson, (Now comes the attempt at moral equivalency...)

publicly calling for this poor baby girl to raise from the dead, giving her parents false hope (False hope is presumed because God never, ever heals...)

and immeasurable pain (These people LOST THEIR CHILD. That is immeasurable pain. But somehow the author knows for sure that praying for the child to be raised will cause immeasurable pain. This is puerile.)

instead of being content in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that for this child to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (Let's quote the verse:
2Co. 5:8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Do you see anywhere that we should be content with someone's death?

Do you see anywhere that we should not pray for people to be raised from the dead because it's better to be dead? 

Nope.

Again the author cites a verse having nothing to do with the assertion he makes.) 

Jenn Johnson (who was praised and endorsed by The Gospel Coalition’s Jackie Hill Perry back in August) and Bethel Cult are unimaginably cruel people and religious charlatans.

Instead of giving hope in the coming resurrection, (What evidence does the author have that the church doesn't give hope in the coming resurrection?)

they sell false promises. They are wicked, and Jenn Johnson should shut her evil mouth. (That is, this person, a friend of the parents who is simply praying God would do a miracle, is evil. Her prayers and encouragments are evil. Hoping for a resurrection is evil. 

But in actual fact the author is evil. He takes the opportunity of a child's death to tear down, not raise up. It's his chance to promulgate his false doctrine, without regard for those who are suffering or what Scripture actually says.

But the crucial questions, not addressed by the author, are

  • Can God raise someone from the dead? 
  • Has God informed us that there will be no more raising from the dead? 
  • Is God capable of raising the dead, but simply unwilling?
  • Is there some verse in the Bible that tells us raising the dead has stopped? 

Let's review some Bible verses that actually deal with the subject:
Ac. 26:8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
Mat. 12:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
John 14:12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
1Co. 12:7, 9 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 9 To one there is given through the Spirit...  gifts of healing...
Ep. 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead...
He. 6:1-2 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the raising of the dead, and eternal judgment.

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