Looking at the Bible through the lens of culture

In simple terms, we should look at the culture through the lens of the Bible.  What we find more and more is the idea that we should look at the Bible through the lens of the culture.  I won’t get into the weeds on questionable “shepherds” but suffice it to say that if you believe God wants you to have your “best life now”, then you most likely are not planning on your eternal life in Heaven.  The same exists when we pride ourselves on being so open-minded that our brains fall out…go along to get along.

 

Our “best life” is yet to come, and it will only be our eternal life if we are born again through Christ.  Revelation 21:3-4:  3 I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people; and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more. The first things have passed away.”

 

As far as this life goes, if all is quiet in your Christian Walk, perhaps you had better check your walk.  Jesus warned us that the world will share its hatred of Christ with the followers of Christ.  Second Timothy 3:12 “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”  So much for your “best life now”.

The central purpose of this book is to equip you to “Share your faith without an argument”, but please know that as you do so you may well run into resistance and resentment.  Be in your Bible and, when possible, be in the company of fellow believers committed to strengthening one another.  Hebrews 10:25  “Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”  We can all hope to find a “church” or Bible study group that meets this standard locally, but when that is not available or needs supplemented, you will find these ministries very helpful.

 

What I do want to give you in this “What about” chapter is a list of teachers and ministries that look at the world and then look to the Bible to connect the dots.  The focus of the ministries varies, and I can assure you that some of these ministries may step on your toes.  We are called to discernment, and we are advised “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity".  

 

For example, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, which means you may or may not agree.  That said, does that in any way contradict the directive in the Bible for all of us to “preach the Gospel” and “make disciples?”

Does the difference of our opinion on the rapture change the reality that only those “born again” through Christ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

 

If you and I get caught up on a “non-essential” and overlook what really matters in evangelism, seeking the lost for Christ, we are simply “picking pepper out of fly droppings” and wasting the evangelism opportunities God gives us.  Remember, we are not here to “argue with the person”, we are called to “reason with their conscience”.  Extend this to your discussions with fellow believers who hold different opinions and see where it goes…  look to the Bible for clarity and discernment… and be kind, even if you still disagree on the “non-essentials”.

 

Please know that as you investigate the ministries listed in this chapter, I am sure you will find points of disagreement.  I can guarantee that in the list you will find teachers adamantly opposed to what another teacher has to say on a specific topic…a “non-essential” topic.  I do not think you will find any of the ministries and teachers referenced here in disagreement on the Gospel of Christ…the essential topic.

 

Note:  The Bible warns us that in the end times “mockers and scoffers” will abound.  To this end, as you search out these ministries and others, do so in prayer and with Biblical discernment.  We are in an age where technology can produce amazing counterfeits,  caveat emptor.  You can usually “discern” if you are on an official website, but when you are sourcing from places like YouTube, TikTok, etc., keep your guard up and do your best to make sure you are looking at the real source, not some scammer or Ai generated fake.  I personally avoid most social media, which means I am most likely unaware of just how deep the fakery really goes…still pondering a “My Space” account…go figure.

 

Speaking of Ai, you will see that I am using Google Ai in many instances since, to date, the results have been accurate overviews of the various ministries.  That said, as cautioned previously, the long-term outlook for Ai is that the search results will become progressively skewed against true Christianity.  For now, it is a useful tool…keep your guard up. (All Google Ai usage will be italicized. I also use an upper case “A” and a lower case “i” to make it clear, lest anyone think I’ve named it “Al” or “A1” …)

 

Before getting to the ministries of the “Shepherds” I trust, it is appropriate to discuss Google Ai as I have used it here.  At this time I am getting accurate responses when I ask questions like, “The Bible is God’s word?” and get the following… Christians and some other religious adherents believe the Holy Bible is the divinely inspired "Word of God," meaning it was written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to reveal God's will and message to humanity. This belief stems from biblical passages such as 2 Timothy 3:16-17, which states all scripture is "God-breathed," and it is considered a unique source of divine truth and authority for believers.  

 

The above is a reasonable response.  Looking forward, this book can also give you a way to check and see if the Google Ai is wandering away from accurate reporting of Christian ministries.  My Google Ai query for all occurrences used in italicized ministry descriptions come from this query, “What is the primary ministry focus of ____ ministries?”

Insert the name of the ministry or Bible teacher as necessary.  For example, my query for information about WEBUS ministry is, “What is the primary ministry focus of WEBUS ministries?” which is where I have acquired all Bible quotations from the Bible used in this book.  Google Ai has this to say, “The primary ministry focus of WEBUS Bible Ministries is providing free and unrestricted access to the World English Bible (WEB), an updated version of the American Standard Version of 1901. The name "WEBUS" is an older alternative for the World English Bible in American English.” https://worldenglish.bible/ 

 

When you see italic print in the ministry descriptions, that is from Google Ai.

 

Here is another example… YouVersion Bible: https://www.youversion.com/ “The primary ministry focus of YouVersion is to help people seek intimacy with God by connecting everyone, everywhere, to the Bible every day. YouVersion is a digital ministry of Life. Church and is driven by the belief that a daily rhythm of engaging with Scripture has the power to transform lives.” As for me, My favorite print Bible is the “Giant Print”.  Beyond poking fun at my “youth deficiency” issues, for study purposes I prefer the New King James Version; for ease of reading I prefer the New International Version; and for listening while going about my tasks I prefer the New Living Translation.

Now on to the websites and teachers, starting with the website for this book…

Hell-No-book.com:  I would have preferred having  Hell?No!Book.com  Unfortunately you cannot have a “?” or an “!” in the domain name, so it is https://hell-no-book.com/  

 

In the spirit of “Reach the lost and Disciple the believer”, if you would be so kind, when you come across teachers and ministries well-grounded in the Bible, please let us know how to find them and in a few words, why you respect their ministry.  This is especially true when you find ministries with active evangelism and discipleship training and activity.  

Case in point, I have included the Cheyenne Calvary Chapel in the list because of their emphasis on discipleship and their dedication to teaching the Bible verse by verse.  That said, in the spirit of helping Brandon Holthaus build a list of solid Bible teaching churches around the country, your review of churches in your community will help his cause.  As with other ministries you might recommend, please include how to find the church and in a few words, why you feel they are on your list of churches you would refer your fellow Christians to.  In addition to making hell-no-book.com aware, you might want to update Brandon Holthaus’s ministry.  His is one of the ministries featured. (https://rockharborchurch.net/church-directory-list/)

 

After the first two ministries referenced below, the order of this list has no reflection on how I prioritize any given ministry.  

 

Bill Fay: “Share Your Faith Without an Argument”.  Bill is up there in years and while he is still active in his personal evangelism, you will not find an active ministry, just grateful beneficiaries of what Bill has taught all these decades.  For starters, you can Google “Share your faith without an argument pdf” and you will most likely find https://www.auburnalliance.com/uploads/3/1/4/0/31407865/how-can-i-share-my-faith-without-an-argument_5.pdf.  You can also Google “Share Jesus Without Fear” and you will find availability of an original and a revised book, both coauthored by Bill Fay and available from various sources, including Amazon.  Be aware, if you try to find Bill through Google, put in “Bill Fay evangelist”, otherwise you will find a musician.

Ray Comfort:  Go to Livingwaters.com and you will find an “evangelism” treasure chest.  My first encounter with Ray was his book, “The Way of the Master” …I highly recommend it to you.  You will also be well served to subscribe to Ray Comfort’s YouTube channel.  Ray and his team are constantly producing new material, videos as well as books, booklets and tracts.  https://livingwaters.com/youtube/ 

Chuck Missler: Khouse.org (Koinonia House).  Chuck died a few years ago, but his ministry and teaching is as vibrant and relevant today as it ever was.  If Chuck was alive today, he could be doing an “I told you so” tour.  For many years Chuck was considered “fringe” because of some of his controversial topics…all of which he grounded in the Bible.  His “fringe” topics have largely been vindicated.  Aside from the “fringe” topics, Chuck’s book-by-book teaching of the Bible is timeless.  If you have the time, consider going through Chuck’s “Learn the Bible in 24-hours”.  This is an overview of the entire Bible that is now offered free on YouTube and other sources.  It was fantastic when I had to purchase it as a bundle of DVD’s and it is no less valuable online and free.  https://www.youtube.com/user/koinoniahouse/videos 

 

Jack Hibbs: Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.  Jack’s ministries can be found at several sites and his YouTube channel is excellent.  You can Google “Jack Hibbs” and find a host of sources, just be aware that because of his ministries popularity he is the victim of imitators and fakes, so make sure you are on his official sites.  His church website is https://calvarycch.org/   , https://jackhibbs.com/   and https://www.reallifenetwork.com/ are also official sites and his official YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/user/RealLifeJackHibbs/videos 

Billy Crone: Get a Life Ministries  https://www.galministries.org/ Billy’s energy is akin to taking a drink from a fire hydrant.  Billy is based in Las Vegas and he is well known for his flamboyant sport coats.  When you see him, it is reasonable to wonder if there is a blackjack dealer in Vegas missing his coat.  Don’t let appearances fool you, Billy must have a research team that would do the CIA proud.  His teaching series are thorough, detailed and informative…they are also rooted in the Bible and he calls all to accountability and to be aware of the times in light of the Bible.  Because of Billy, I have a calendar schedule pop up every day asking me, “If God comes for me today, what will He find me doing?”   Hopefully God will find me each day prepared for and looking for opportunities to engage people in conversation aimed at evangelism and discipleship. Thank you for the reminder, Billy. https://www.youtube.com/user/NFBCmedia 

 

Tom Hughes: Tom’s main website is https://hopeforourtimes.com/   Tom’s emphasis is on prophecy, but you will also find him doing weekly “verse by verse” teaching through the Bible.  What I enjoy greatly about Tom is his sense of humor.  To this end, every Thursday you will find his “You can’t make this up”, which is humorously informative as he looks at just how crazy this world has gotten.  Be aware, often Tom does this particular broadcast wearing a coat he received from Billy Crone.  You will also find Tom on his YouTube channel  https://www.youtube.com/c/HopeForOurTimes/videos 

 

James Kaddis:  James is the only pastor I know of who speaks Arabic and can directly interpret what is being said in the Islamic world.  James covers a wide range of topics, but his grasp on the Islamic world and mindset, relayed to the Christian viewer, makes a world of difference. Beyond the language benefit, James is a very good Bible teacher and watchman on the wall.  For instance, in a recent broadcast, James Kaddis highlighted how Ai can give him the equivalent of having a full research team that produces results in seconds, not days.  James also warns of what may become of Ai with regard to what the Bible says about the days that are coming.  In the meantime, he sees it as a resource you can use…just keep your “discernment” guard up.  https://jameskaddis.com/ and https://calvarychapelsignalhill.com/ 

 

Prophecy Watchers:  https://prophecywatchers.com/   Prophecy Watchers is my go-to location for an array of Bible based teachers who focus not just on prophecy, but cover a gambit of subjects.  If you ignore all other recommended ministries in this list, please do not ignore this one.  Founders Gary Stearman and Bob Ulrich are still active in the ministry and conduct interviews regularly.  Mondo Gonzales joined the team a few years ago and the flow of interviews and videos has taken a quantum leap with his presence.  What has always impressed me about Prophecy Watchers is that they do not have a “not invented here” mindset.  On the contrary, it seems they have alliances with a broad spectrum of ministries, all Bible based, and they generously highlight and showcase these ministries in an all out effort to disciple the body of Christ in a way not found in your typical church.  Google Ai has this to say about Prophecy

 

Watchers: The primary ministry focus of Prophecy Watchers Ministries is to explore and teach biblical prophecies, and to explain their relevance to modern-day events. The ministry is premillennial and pretribulational, meaning it believes that the "rapture" of the church will occur before the Great Tribulation and that Christ will return to rule for 1,000 years.  https://www.youtube.com/user/prophecywatchers 

 

Don Stewart Ministries: https://educatingourworld.com/ Also known as Educating Our World, focuses primarily on teaching biblical truths to a global audience. The ministry aims to provide free, accessible resources that address the foundations of the Christian faith and the reliability of the Bible.  I find Don’s daily YouTube presentation, “Breaking News with Don Stewart” as a good way to keep track of news that directly points to the soon return of Jesus Christ.

Non Prophets Guide:  https://thenonprophetsguide.com/  Todd Hampson is a blessing to the study of “end times prophecy” and the Bible in general.  Todd has produced a bundle of books and Bible study programs.  If you look him up on Amazon you will find this in his bio, “Todd Hampson is an author, illustrator, and an animation producer whose mission is to use art, humor, and practical writing to help make Bible prophecy, apologetics, and theology accessible and inviting to new generations of Christians and non-Christians looking for answers.”  I read his first book, the “Non-Prophet’s Guide to the End Times” when it came out and have appreciated his work ever since.  His animation skills shine and his writing style is excellent.  If you are getting serious about your “studies” but prefer a bit more in color, illustrations and humor, check him out.  https://www.bibleprophecytoolbox.com/  and https://www.prophecyprosacademy.com/  and prophecyprospodcast.com

 

Brandon Holthaus: https://rockharborchurch.net/   Pastor Brandon's areas of emphasis include prophecy, discernment, apologetics, Jewish culture and background, and Biblical worldview polemics. In 2023, Pastor Brandon started Tip of the Spear Ministry, which specializes in Bible prophecy.  Brandon’s teaching is verse by verse and his speaking engagements cover a broad expanse of topics.  You will find that Brandon gives no quarter to the WOKE church.

https://rockharborchurch.net/church-directory-list/ One of Brandon Holthaus’s ministries is an ongoing effort to help believers find local churches that provide solid Bible teaching and have not gone WOKE.  You can find the “Church Finder” by Googling “Brandon Holthaus Church Finder” 

 

Justin Peters: https://justinpeters.org/  Justin Peters Ministries' primary focus is proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ through expository preaching and biblical discernment, with a particular emphasis on exposing false doctrines found in movements like the Word of Faith movement and the New Apostolic Reformation. The ministry aims to equip believers with sound theology, deepen their understanding of scripture, and call the Church back to the authority and sufficiency of God's Word.  https://www.youtube.com/@JustinPetersMin 

 

Paul Washer: https://heartcrymissionary.com/     Google Ai does a good job of summarizing Paul’s ministry, “Paul Washer's ministry primarily focuses on proclaiming the biblical gospel and calling for genuine repentance and conversion. He emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the depravity of humanity, and the absolute necessity of Christ's atoning work for salvation.” Paul’s YouTube channel is   HeartCry Missionary Society.

Frank Turek: https://crossexamined.org The primary ministry focus of Frank Turek's organization, is Christian apologetics. Turek's ministry presents powerful and reasoned evidence for Christianity to address the questions of intellectual skeptics. Turek is also well known as a mentor to Charlie Kirk and was with Charlie when he was assassinated.

 

John MacArthur: https://www.gty.org/   John died recently and I imagine he has heard, “Well done good and faithful servant”…I do not recall ever hearing a John MacArthur sermon where it felt like he was telling me what I wanted to hear…he was always telling me what I needed to hear from the Bible.  Google Ai summarizes John’s ministry this way:  “John MacArthur's primary ministry focus was on expository preaching and diligent Bible study. He emphasized the importance of understanding the historical and grammatical context of biblical passages. This approach involved carefully studying the Bible verse by verse, ensuring that the message preached was faithful to the original text according to TruthScript. His goal was to allow God's word to speak for itself, minimizing the influence of personal opinions or interpretations, according to The Cripplegate. 

MacArthur's commitment to expository preaching was a deliberate choice to prioritize God's voice over man's. He believed that this method of teaching the Bible ensured that God's word was accurately and deeply understood. This approach also led to his consistent and unwavering stance on controversial topics, as he believed it was crucial to remain faithful to the text of Scripture.” 

I have noticed recently that there seem to be a lot of questionable “John MacArthur” content on YouTube…you can find John’s massive volume of teaching on the gty.org website.  John’s official YouTube channel is found at “Grace to You” and at the time of this writing it has almost one million subscribers.  Beware the other “channels” that pop up.

 

Andy Woods:  https://www.andywoodsministries.org/  We had the privilege to travel with Andy a few years ago and his teaching is excellent.  We also noticed that while some teachers get quite wound up and animated, Andy exudes calm without wandering into dull or boring.  In addition to pastoring a church and his speaking engagements, Andy is the president of a seminary in Texas.  You can find his weekly “Pastors Point of View” prophecy summary on his YouTube channel.  At the time of this writing he appears to have 81,000 subscribers.

 

JB Hixson: https://plumcreekchapel.org/   JB came to our attention through Prophecy Watchers.  He is a prolific writer and his public teaching is thorough and biblically sound.   If you Google “JB Hixson Prophecy Watchers” you will find a large catalog of his works.  JB’s YouTube channel can be found at “Not by Works”.  Google Ai has this to say, “J.B. Hixson Ministries, also known as Not By Works Ministries, focuses primarily on teaching the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone, without the addition of human works. Through his speaking engagements, radio show, and books, Hixson emphasizes communicating and defending core biblical truths.” 

 

Bill Salus: http://www.prophecydepotministries.net/ Bill’s focus is on prophecy and his books “The Now Prophecies”, “The Next Prophecies”, “The Last Prophecies” and “The Final Prophecies” provide a chronological look at what is coming prophetically.  Bill’s interpretation of certain prophecies does trigger some teachers.  For example, Bill sees Psalm 83 as prophecy whereas other notable teachers see Psalm 83 as a prayer.  To his credit, Bill respectfully acknowledges the difference of opinion and makes his case as to what he sees and why he has reached his conclusion.  Bill is a great picture of “We can disagree, but we do not have to be disagreeable.”  Bill has been a frequent guest at Prophecy Watchers and you can find his materials and links there.   

 

Jonathon Cahn: https://www.hopeoftheworld.org/  “The primary ministry focus of Jonathan Cahn Ministries, also known as Hope of the World Ministries, is to deliver prophetic messages of repentance and revival to a global audience. Cahn's ministry interprets current events, particularly in America, through the lens of biblical prophecy and parallels with ancient Israel.”  Jonathon can look at the world, look at the Bible and connect dots like no one else.  His first book, “The Harbinger” launched him as an author in 2011.  Since then, he has been prolific in his writing.  I highly recommend reading “The Return of the Gods” as a guide to understanding the spiritual darkness we see all around us.    We had the privilege of traveling to Israel with Jonathon and the excitement of being thrown off the Temple Mount with him.  He referred to the area as “The Temple Mount”, which triggered the Jordanian Waqf (police) and promptly moved them to order us off the “Temple Mount”.   During that trip I told Jonathon a little rhyme of sorts that I had heard, and he edited it for me on the spot.  The original was, “Roses are reddish, violets are bluish, in spite of Jesus we all can be Jewish”.  Jonathon’s eyes lit up and he asked me to repeat it, then provided the editing.  The result was, “Roses are reddish, violets are bluish, because of Jesus we all can be Jewish”.  I have often used that as a simple way of explaining that through Jesus, we (gentiles) are “grafted” into the Jewish vine.  Since most Jews I meet are “secular Jews”, the response has been met with smiles and chuckles.  I do attend Shabbat services at the Synagogue across the street when we are at our home in Wyoming and I refrain from this humorous quip with the Jews who take their faith more seriously.  That said, they know I am a born again Christian and that I care about them as my neighbors…I want them to know their Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ, has already come as prophesied and they can now come to Him…in due time and without an argument. If you do have Jewish friends, you will server them well by recommending that they read Isaiah 53.  Read it for yourself and you will understand.  https://www.youtube.com/@jonathancahn.official

 

Bill Koenig:  https://watch.org/   White House Correspondent and author of “Eye to Eye: The Consequences of Dividing Israel”, first published in 2004.    The word “coincidence” evaporates as you read Bill’s book and see God’s declaration that He will “bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel” Genesis 12:3 come true.  Bill has updated it over the years and, unfortunately, “cursing Israel” continues and the consequences for doing so continue…God says He will not be mocked and proves it regularly.

Lee Brainard: https://soothkeep.info/  “The primary ministry focus of Soothkeep is the pursuit and defense of biblical truth, with a strong emphasis on prophecy and discernment. Founded by Bible teacher and author Lee W. Brainard, the ministry aims to help students of the Bible understand difficult passages and identify errors in an "age of apostasy".  Lee is a scholar with a great ability to deliver scholarly information without making your eyes glaze over or put you to sleep.  Whether you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture or not, Lee’s teaching on the subject is worth your time to listen. Lee is a frequent guest on Prophecy Watchers.  Lee’s YouTube channel is  https://www.youtube.com/soothkeep 

Lamb & Lion Ministry:  https://christinprophecy.org/  This is one of the ministries where the founder did a great job of handing it off to the next generation.  Dave Reagan formed the ministry in 1980 and in 2021 retired to focus on writing.  For one full year Dave stepped completely out of the picture to make sure he in no way weakened the transition to Nathan Jones and Tim Moore.  The stated purpose is “Proclaiming the soon return of Jesus Christ and teaching about biblical prophecy”.   You will find a lot of material on YouTube when you search “Christ in Prophecy”.  If you search “Lamb & Lion Ministry” you may get the Christ in Prophecy materials…or you may find a Messianic Jewish group with the website https://lionandlambministries.org/   I don’t see any official relationship between the two ministries other than the names. 

 

Britt Gillette: http://www.end-times-bible-prophecy.com/  “Britt Gillette's books include Christian apologetics, Christian inspirational, and Christian non-fiction books with a specific emphasis on bible prophecy. His writing ministry is focused on proclaiming two messages: "the Messiah is Jesus" (Acts 5:42) and "Jesus is coming soon!" (Revelation 22:20).”  Britt has his own “Substack Prophecy Podcast” and he is a frequent guest with Prophecy Watchers and Tom Hughes “Hope for our Times”.  Britt covers a huge horizon of prophecy subjects, oftentimes focused on the economy.  https://www.youtube.com/@etbpwithbrittgillette916 

 

Jan Markell, Understanding the Times: https://olivetreeviews.org/  “The primary ministry focus of Understanding the Times is to help people understand current events and modern life through a biblical and prophetic lens, encouraging them to stand firm in their faith against deception by providing information and practical insights related to Bible prophecy and competing worldviews. The ministry, associated with Olive Tree Ministries, aims to equip individuals to be "watchmen on the wall" by discerning God's perspective on world history and aligning their actions with biblical truth.”  Jan Markell’s Olive Tree Views Ministry has been a pillar in the Prophecy world for decades.  Jan is still active in the ministry, but Ken Mikle handles much of the day-to-day activity, especially activities that require travel.  “Discernment” and “navigating the complexities of moderns life in your Christian walk” is an ongoing theme.  One of Jan’s pet sayings is, “It may look like the world is falling apart, but it’s actually falling into place”.  Understanding the Bible is key to “understanding the times”.

 

Terry James: https://www.raptureready.com/terry-james/  “The primary ministry focus of Rapture Ready is preparing Christians for the Rapture and the End Times through evangelism, Bible prophecy, and cultivating an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. The ministry operates online through its website, RaptureReady.com, and other platforms.” Let’s see, Rapture Ready…three guesses to sort out Terry’s focus.  Terry lost his eyesight in 1993.  He and we are beneficiaries of “speech to text” technology, which he uses to “write” his books.  Terry’s website has an amazing library of his writings.  You will also find Terry’s presence in numerous Prophecy Watchers interviews.  

Ken Johnson: https://www.biblefacts.org/  “Bible Facts Ministries: http://biblefacts.org Ken Johnson. Dedicated to the study of Scripture, the ancient church fathers, Dead sea scrolls, and other ancient documents.”  Ken Johnson is one of the leading Christian experts on the Dead Sea Scrolls and specifically the book of Enoch.  Ken is active with the Prophecy Watchers and his program titled “The Ancient Mysteries of the Essenes” is valuable to understanding parts of Jewish culture and history that you won’t find elsewhere.  His YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/@biblefactsorg 

 

Bill Perkins: https://compass.org/  “The primary ministry focus of Steeling the Mind Ministries is to provide Christians with biblical knowledge and facts to strengthen their faith and defend it against secular challenges.”  Bill and Susie Perkins are old friends, not only to us, but to pastors, Bible teachers and churches all over the country.  Compass puts together trips to the Bible lands and sponsors the “Steeling the Mind” conferences.  Over the years, “Steeling the Mind” was a unique venue for believers to find speakers like Chuck Missler and David Reagan, whom they would most likely not have found on their own.  Today, the internet puts these teachers on your smart phone, but when Bill was putting together his conferences he had no such techie force in his tool bag.  You can access Bill’s huge library of speaker presentations with a very affordable membership.  I believe Bill is only conducting an annual Steeling the Mind conference in his hometown of Cour d’Alene Idaho.  If you have a desire to visit one of the most beautiful cities in the American West, check it out.  Likewise, Bill’s tours are well worth your consideration if the Holy Land is on your travel bucket list.

 

Todd Friel  Wretched Radio:  https://wretched.org/  “The primary ministry focus of Wretched Radio Ministries is a three-fold mission: preach the gospel, equip Christians to preach and defend the gospel, and strengthen the local church.”  Todd Friel is a long-time friend and ally of Ray Comfort, which is how I was first introduced to Todd.  Years ago we had Ray and Todd’s team come to our church (Gino Geraci’s Calvary Chapel South Denver) and conduct a day long “evangelism” program.  This was a great encouragement to the “evangelism” training and emphasis we had in place.  To this day, Todd takes his desire to reach the lost to the streets and puts himself on the line regularly.   I think it is worth the page space to paste his ministry “Goals” here.  1. Preach the Gospel: It is our desire to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ as often as possible. Because it is our hope that unbelievers (including false converts) who view or listen to our programs will hear the message of amazing grace and be saved.  2. Equip the Saints: Like John Wesley, we trust that if we are on fire for God, “men will come to watch you burn.” By witnessing to actual unbelievers on air, we hope that Christians will be inspired to evangelize the lost and get equipped to defend the faith. 3. Strengthen the Church: Wretched is a parachurch ministry that exist to strengthen and serve the local church. How? By persistently discussing the importance of the local church and pleading with believers to become MEMBERS of the best local church they can find.  To find Todd on YouTube, simply search his name.  

 

Ken Ham: https://answersingenesis.org/  “Answers in Genesis (AiG) focuses on defending the Christian faith through a biblical worldview based on a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, providing answers to questions about creation and exposing evolutionary ideas. Their primary goals are to help Christians uphold the authority and accuracy of the Bible, equip believers to share the gospel effectively, and train people to develop a solid biblical worldview that serves as the foundation for other Christian doctrines.”  I grew up on a thousand acres of crop and pastureland, so it should have been obvious to me that “adaptation and selective breeding” is real and “species evolution” is not.  That said, evolution was ingrained in me and it was a major hurdle to overcome when I came to Christ.  I finally had to settle the internal argument with a declaration that, “If I am going to trust the Bible for understanding of my eternal salvation, I am going to trust the Bible in all things.”   That “.” (period) at the end of the declaration settled it for me.  Ken Ham’s teaching, which I first experienced at Calvary Chapel South Denver in the 90’s, gave me the working facts and evidence to back up my “faith” with a solid catalog of facts.  If you struggle with the “evolution indoctrination”, as I did, Answers in Genesis is a true godsend.  You will also find the “Creation Museum” and the “Ark Encounter” worth your time if you find yourself in southeast Indiana, southwest Ohio or northern Kentucky. https://www.youtube.com/@answersingenesis 

 

Calvary Chapel Cheyenne: “Calvary Chapel Cheyenne's primary focus is making authentic followers of Jesus Christ through worship, verse-by-verse Bible teaching, fellowship, and missions. This includes engaging in heartfelt worship, teaching the entire Bible simply and practically, fostering community through various ministries, and supporting global causes like child sponsorship through Compassion International and local outreach to rural communities.”  As snowbirds, we go back and forth between Dove Mountain, north of Tucson, and our residence in Cheyenne Wyoming.  What a treat it has been to find a solid Bible teaching church on the open prairie of Wyoming.  Beyond the solid Bible teaching, the emphasis on “discipleship” and the broad spectrum of ages and backgrounds of the attendees in refreshing.  Thanks to technology, livestream of the services and the library of past teachings are available at https://www.calvarychapelcheyenne.org/ 

 

Olivier Melnick:  https://www.shalominmessiah.com/  “The primary ministry focus of Shalom in Messiah Ministries is a three-pronged mission: combating antisemitism, equipping Christians, and bringing the Gospel of Jesus (Yeshua) to Jewish people.”  Olivier is active with prophecy ministries, which you will see if you look him up on YouTube.  I don’t’ see that he has his own YouTube channel.  The last sentence in the “About” page on Olivier’s website is “In the summer of 1983, I met my Messiah. That is the most Jewish thing I have ever done in my entire life. If you don’t know Him yet, my prayer is that you would investigate His word and make Him your Lord and Savior.”  Jesus Christ is our Jewish Savior, and truly, the “most Jewish thing” a Jew can do is come to Christ…BTW, you and I, as believers, became grafted into the Jewish vine when we were born again.  Take a look at Romans 11:17-24.  The next time I see Olivier I will have to remind him that, “Roses are reddish and violets are bluish, because of Jesus we all can be Jewish.”  

 

Amir Tsarfati:  https://beholdisrael.org/   “Behold Israel Ministries' primary focus is to provide accurate, biblical reporting on current events in Israel and the Middle East, connecting them to biblical prophecy, and to lead people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The ministry, led by Amir Tsarfati, aims to counter global media bias by explaining the central role of Israel in the Bible, fostering deeper understanding and support for the nation among Christians worldwide, and strengthening faith in God's Word.”  We first encountered Amir many years ago when he was getting his Israel tours business going and he visited a church we were attending.  Oh, how his ministry has grown.  If you are familiar with Jack Hibbs, then it is likely you have heard Amir speak on many occasions.  As the world has become increasingly antisemitic it is important for those of us “grafted into the Jewish vine” (Romans 11:16-21) to remember that God says He will “Bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel” (Genesis 12:3).  We are told to expect the world to hate Israel and Jews, but it grieves me when I see “so called Christian” groups spouting antisemitism…may God protect you and me from ever going down that road.  This does not mean that we support everything Israel does, just as we don’t support everything our own family members do.  Amir is a good source of information straight out of Israel.  You can find Amir on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@beholdisrael 

 

Jews for Jesus: https://jewsforjesus.org/staff/jeff-morgan “The primary ministry focus of Jews for Jesus is to evangelize Jewish people and lead them to believe that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. As an international, evangelical Christian missionary organization, it aims to make the "Messiahship of Jesus an unavoidable issue for Jewish people worldwide". Jeff Morgan hosts the YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@SOBEIT32AD   Jeff is on the streets in Israel evangelizing regularly.  It is worth your time to watch the interactions, as Jeff does not “argue”, but rather “reasons” with people who often see “Christians” as one of the enemies.  Jeff is part of the “Jews for Jesus” ministry, and his videos can be found by searching YouTube for “So be it”.   Jeff is truly a “boots on the ground” evangelist in Israel, much like Ray Comfort’s street ministry in California.  You and I may not have the bravado and charisma to record and share our work as the evangelist like Jeff and Ray, but we have the privilege of serving our Lord just the same. 

 

Joel Rosenberg: https://rosenbergreport.tv/ “Joel C. Rosenberg's ministry focuses on educating and mobilizing Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus. This is primarily carried out through The Joshua Fund, an organization he co-founded with his wife, Lynn. In essence, Joel Rosenberg's ministry seeks to foster a deeper understanding of God's heart for the region, encourage prayer and support for the people living there, and empower Christians to be actively involved in both practical service and sharing the Good News of Jesus in the Middle East, also referred to as the Epicenter. Lisa and I attended Calvary Chapel South Denver with Joel’s parents and had the privilege of joining them for a family lunch one Sunday after church service.  What a treat to enjoy a meal and then have Joel role up his sleaves and proceed with a Bible study.  Most people know Joel for his many fiction and nonfiction books (seventeen to date), beginning with “The Last Jihad” in 2002 and his nonfiction books (eight to date), beginning with “Epicenter” in 2006.  

 

Wes Huff:  https://www.wesleyhuff.com/  “The primary ministry focus of Wesley Huff Ministries is Christian apologetics, specifically defending and explaining the historical reliability and truth of the Christian worldview. He aims to foster rational thinking and respectful inquiry concerning questions about the Christian faith.”  Wes Huff may be one of the smartest men on the planet when it comes to understanding the Bible, linguistics and ancient literature.  Popular atheist Billy Carson found this out the hard way when he showed up to a conversation/debate.  The storm that followed resulted in Wes Huff being invited to the Joe Rogan Experience, which at present has over seven million views on YouTube alone.  Watching that interview makes me wonder if Wes was appointed to effectively minister to Joe Rogan.  Along the way, the viewers receive a lot of information that we would not normally experience in church.  If you think our faith is just built on faith alone, tune in and enjoy learning much about the historicity of our faith in ancient literature.  Wes’s YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/@WesHuff   and the ministry he works with in Canada is  https://apologeticscanada.com/tag/wesley-huff/  

 

Jeremiah Johnson  The Shroud of Turin: https://christianthinkers.com/ Jeremiah Johnson has made quite a splash with his recent information about the shroud.  The most all-encompassing interview I have found can be located on YouTube titled "The Face of God" Michael & The Shroud of Turin | Dr. Jeremiah Johnston.  This is an interview with Michael Knowles and in the course of the ninety minute you will see that the shroud is more than a myth or a mythical artifact.  In addition to these recent programs, Johnson is a New Testament scholar and teacher.  It appears there are numerous people with the name “Jeremiah Johnson”, so be sure to reference the Shroud of Turin when searching. Note: I do appreciate Wes Huff’s position that (paraphrase) “the evidence for Christ is so overwhelming that with or without the shroud you should have no problem believing in Christ.”

 

Phillip Anthony Mitchell: https://www.philipanthonymitchell.com/bio Mitchell is a dynamic Bible teacher who came to my attention through my millennial son.  As my son puts it, this guy pulls no punches in his commitment to teaching the Bible and calling his congregants to “Mutilate the things in your heart that you know are sinful in the eyes of God” in order to overcome temptation.  If you look at his bio on the website you will find, “… constant brokenness over the state of the Church in America has been my portion. The perversion of The Faith in the west, our growing lack of reverence, and our overt mockery of Christ moves me to deep grief, weeping and earnest prayers and an emboldened witness to be an unwavering voice for change, the veneration of Holy God and the preservation of Biblical Christianity in America. I would that this message go far and wide. I would that the Body of Christ hear and be stirred. I would that the sinner be called to repentance and the sleeping saint be awakened to mission. Silently I cry out to God in prayer, and publicly I cry out to those who have ears to hear. And while this cry may be faint in our nation, I cannot and will not be silent, but rather I will cry out all the more… His YouTube channel is https://www.youtube.com/@2819Church 

 

Gino Geraci: https://ginogeraci.com/ I met Gino in 1992 when he came to Denver from Skip Heitzig’s church in Albuquerque.  I was on a church board and we were in a crunch to find an interim pastor.   Gino’s mission was to plant a Calvary Chapel and he made it clear to the search committee that he was not a candidate for our position.  Gino was the right teacher at the right time and his skills as a peacemaker were invaluable.  Gino has now retired from Calvary South Denver and his focus is on his Denver “drive time radio” show, his work with GotQuestions.org, and his own ministry, Scripture Says.   For years Gino was a chaplain for the Denver Police Department, which landed him the unfortunate “opportunity” to be one of the first people to walk into the aftermath of the Columbine shootings.  If that wasn’t enough to cause PTSD, he was also one of the first volunteers to be boots on the ground at “Ground Zero” the week of 9/11.  

 

Google Ai describes Gino this way: “Gino Geraci is an American pastor, radio host, and author known for his ministries through Calvary Chapel, particularly in the Denver area. A prominent speaker and chaplain, he has a long history of ministering to emergency services and providing crisis support during national tragedies. Online resources: He founded the non-profit organization Scripture Says and serves on the board of directors for Got Questions, an online biblical resource ministry. His sermons and teachings are available on his website, GinoGeraci.com, and other platforms.” Gino is fluent in Spanish, Italian and French and there doesn’t seem to be an accent in the world he cannot impersonate.  This ability has served to spice up his sermons and public presentations on a regular basis.  As with Tom Hughes, Gino is a great verse by verse teacher and is gifted at adding a bit of humor along the way.  I saved Gino’s profile for last because it is my decades long privilege to call him pastor and friend…one of my very best friends.  You can tune into Gino’s radio show most  days at four pm mountain time zone at https://947fmtheword.com/radioshow/crosswalk 

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Not so mainstream 

Ministries and teachers long considered “fringe”…often accused over the years as “conspiracy theory nuts”, seem to be getting vindicated daily.  The times have caught up with them and they don’t look so “conspiracy” anymore.  If you have been living a “quiet Christian life” and are starting to get a bit spooked by the crazy things happening in the world, it is probably time you start doing your own homework.  BTW, this really does apply to “evangelism” because increasingly the people you meet are getting scared.  Fear can paralyze some and motivate others to start asking questions and listen to what you have to say.  You don’t have to get into the weeds on many of the “fringe” issues, but understanding the issues won’t hurt.  BTW, Chuck Missler was a pioneer in the “fringe” school, but his broad Bible teaching warrants his early mention in this chapter.

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LA Marzulli: https://lamarzulli.net/   If you have never experienced LA Marzulli, get ready for an exciting ride.  LA has long taken on the world of “tin hats and conspiracy theories”, so long that the world at large is starting to catch up with him.  As proof of this, take a look at the recent government acknowledgement of what we used to call UFO’s…now called UAP’s.  LA has long attributed these to “inter dimensional” instead of “inter galactic” visitations.  LA has coined the saying, “When we go up, they show up!”  You can find much of LA’s work on YouTube…simply search his name.

 

Steve Quayle: https://www.stevequayle.com/ Steve is a very interesting guest on numerous Prophecy Watchers presentations and worth your time to investigate.  As with other “fringe” personalities, he covers topics you may not have much experience with nor understanding.  That said, Steve backs up his content with the Bible and onsite investigations.  

 

Timothy Alberino: https://timothyalberino.com/  Timothy Alberino is a Bible believing version of Indiana Jones and his exploits, captured in videos he has made, are most enjoyable to experience.  As with others in this section, Tim is bundled with the “fringe” crowd, all of whom seem to be vindicated on an almost daily basis.  

Skywatch TV/Defender Publishing: https://www.skywatchtv.com/ “The primary ministry focus of SkyWatch TV Ministries is to explore topics related to Bible prophecy, the supernatural, and "end times" events from a Christian perspective. It aims to provide answers and insight into subjects that are often avoided by mainstream Christian media.”  Founder, Tom Horn, died not long ago but left a legacy of research and material behind, along with a good team to carry on his work.  Tom Horn was integral in the early days of Prophecy Watchers and the relationship between the ministries is strong.  His books are numerous and his company has been key to helping many authors get published.  Tom’s son, Joe Ardis Horn, hosts most of the daily programs.  Of the team, Derek and Sharon Gilbert are the only members we have met personally.  Skywatch provides a steady stream of content, much of it in front of a live audience, making it a lively environment for the show. Their shows and materials can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@SkyWatchTelevision  

 

Josh Peck: https://www.dailyrenegade.com  “The primary ministry focus of the Christian biblical researcher Josh Peck is Bible prophecy, with a mission to help people separate biblical truth from church tradition. As an author, filmmaker, and speaker, he emphasizes uncovering deeper biblical truths related to end-times events and challenging conventional interpretations. Josh had a long time association with Skywatch Tv and is now closely aligned with ProphecyWatchers.com.

 

More to come…

 

Our prayer is that you will find the ministries listed in this chapter helpful to you in your walk and that as you find other ministries that you feel warrant recognition, please let us know at Hell-No-Book.com.  

Thank you in advance for letting us know how you fare with your experiences using the evangelism methods presented in this book by going to www.hell-no-book.com and telling us your stories.  As “Hell? No!” gleans feedback from you, the born-again believers in Christ who engage in doing the work of the evangelist, the website will be updated.  

Additionally, a benefit of publishing this through Amazon is that subsequent revisions are reasonably painless.  As Google Ai puts it, “Publishing through Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) offers benefits like complete control over your book's rights, content, and pricing, access to a vast global audience through Amazon's extensive platform, faster publication times compared to traditional publishing, and print-on-demand technology that eliminates upfront printing costs and inventory risk.”