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Be Sure Your Drink Isn't Poisoned
Many of today's most prominent preachers would be labeled heretics hundreds of years ago because MOST clergymen were devout Theologians and serious students of scripture. Today ordination papers and licenses are given to anyone that says they are called to preach. I agree that being Spirit-filled and called is the first priority of being a preacher, but ALSO there has to be training…SERIOUS TRAINING! A lack of understanding of just the basic Bible doctrines of the faith can lead to the types of abuses I am talking about. Martin Luther was able to stand up to the lies of Rome because he was filled with the knowledge of the truth. I am a Pentecostal preacher, I believe in the Charismatic Gifts of the Spirit, but that doesn't negate the fact that we must have a scholarly approach to the scriptures and its teachings.
88 pages, Paperback
First published November 21, 2008
About the author
Mark H. Stevens
5 books4 followersMark Stevens was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1959. Mark accepted Christ as his savior at the age of 14 and served God in man capacities early in life. He joined the US Air Force at the age of 18 and began to travel worldwide. At the age of 21 Mark became a Deacon in the Chapel and served as a Sunday School Superintendent and Adult Bible Study teacher. It was 2 years later when Mark accepted the call to ministry.
Mark H. Stevens is now an ordained Elder in the COGIC 1st Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of New Jersey. He is the Dean of the Charles Harrison Mason Bible Institutes of New Jersey (Camden and Carteret ). Elder Stevens is married to the former Stephanie Perry, who is also a Minister of the Gospel. Elder Stevens is also a Staff Chaplain at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital and an On-Call Staff Chaplain and Volunteer Coordinator at Cooper Trauma Center.
Elder Stevens graduated from the Institute of Biblical Studies, a school of the Philadelphia Bible University. He is an ETA (Evangelical Training Association) certified Bible Teacher. He holds a BA in Theology and an MA in Ministry from Freedom Bible College and Seminary, and is the final stages of receiving his Doctorate in Ministry from Freedom. He has completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Cooper Trauma Center. He is currently pursuing his Psychiatric Rehabilitation Certification from UMDNJ (University of Dental and Medical of NJ), He has also completed his Doctoral Dissertation on grief which he has just recently had published.
Elder Stevens is a highly decorated retired MSgt in the USAF. He has served in Combat Operations in Somalia, Honduras, Turkey, Korea, and Morocco. He has preached and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every country he set his foot in. He was also instrumental in starting the first Church of God in Christ in South Korea under the leadership of Dr. Herman G. Platt. Elder Stevens’s greatest joy is preparing people for the work of ministry. Prior to accepting the call to ministry Elder Stevens was a Martial Arts (Tang Soo Do) instructor.
Elder Stevens started his path to Chaplaincy as a volunteer at Virtua Hospital in Mt. Holly, NJ. He took Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Cooper Trauma Hospital in Camden, NJ taught by Rev. Robert Cholke. In September 2005 he started taking CPE at Cooper. Rev. Cholke knew he had a passion for prison ministry because he told him he had been a volunteer at Burlington County Jail. Rev. Cholke arraigned a meeting with Chaplain Wilcox at Riverfront Prison in Camden. After meeting Chaplain Wilcox he began ministering at Riverfront weekly while still fulfilling his obligation at Cooper as an on-call Chaplain. After completing his 4rd Unit of CPE, he was hired at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. Chaplain Stevens was assigned to The Holly building where they primarily house the locked down patients that are Guilty by Reason of Insanity (Krol). He is also a Staff Chaplain at Cooper Trauma Hospital and is the head of the Pastoral Care Volunteer Dept.
Mark H. Stevens is now an ordained Elder in the COGIC 1st Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of New Jersey. He is the Dean of the Charles Harrison Mason Bible Institutes of New Jersey (Camden and Carteret ). Elder Stevens is married to the former Stephanie Perry, who is also a Minister of the Gospel. Elder Stevens is also a Staff Chaplain at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital and an On-Call Staff Chaplain and Volunteer Coordinator at Cooper Trauma Center.
Elder Stevens graduated from the Institute of Biblical Studies, a school of the Philadelphia Bible University. He is an ETA (Evangelical Training Association) certified Bible Teacher. He holds a BA in Theology and an MA in Ministry from Freedom Bible College and Seminary, and is the final stages of receiving his Doctorate in Ministry from Freedom. He has completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Cooper Trauma Center. He is currently pursuing his Psychiatric Rehabilitation Certification from UMDNJ (University of Dental and Medical of NJ), He has also completed his Doctoral Dissertation on grief which he has just recently had published.
Elder Stevens is a highly decorated retired MSgt in the USAF. He has served in Combat Operations in Somalia, Honduras, Turkey, Korea, and Morocco. He has preached and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every country he set his foot in. He was also instrumental in starting the first Church of God in Christ in South Korea under the leadership of Dr. Herman G. Platt. Elder Stevens’s greatest joy is preparing people for the work of ministry. Prior to accepting the call to ministry Elder Stevens was a Martial Arts (Tang Soo Do) instructor.
Elder Stevens started his path to Chaplaincy as a volunteer at Virtua Hospital in Mt. Holly, NJ. He took Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Cooper Trauma Hospital in Camden, NJ taught by Rev. Robert Cholke. In September 2005 he started taking CPE at Cooper. Rev. Cholke knew he had a passion for prison ministry because he told him he had been a volunteer at Burlington County Jail. Rev. Cholke arraigned a meeting with Chaplain Wilcox at Riverfront Prison in Camden. After meeting Chaplain Wilcox he began ministering at Riverfront weekly while still fulfilling his obligation at Cooper as an on-call Chaplain. After completing his 4rd Unit of CPE, he was hired at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. Chaplain Stevens was assigned to The Holly building where they primarily house the locked down patients that are Guilty by Reason of Insanity (Krol). He is also a Staff Chaplain at Cooper Trauma Hospital and is the head of the Pastoral Care Volunteer Dept.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 19, 2009
The author had a dreadful experience of unloading dead bodies off the C-5/A air crafts, what a stench! In our spiritual walk, there are dead spirits of witchcraft, deceitfulness, and trusting every spirit instead of testing the spirits. Charles refers to them as the epidemic of "spiritually stupid saints", that the Bible calls them "lukewarm Christians" who want to be of the world and say they love Christ. They also do not study the Bible for themselves and willing to try every spirit (stating they are spiritual, not religious person). Do we have the ability of discernment to test the spirits?
Charles also gives a great example of King Saul who never gave his heart completely over to God. He was noted as a follower of God (knew of Him), but never surrendered his life over to God (his heart, mind, soul, and will (strength or might) over to God). Most of us fall into this category; remember half of the battle is to surrender all I/we have.
We are "Self-filled" people, who only want to do the will for self. It is hard for us to believe when someone speaks "God's will" in our life, as the author brilliantly illustrates in the first chapter with Saul. Do we listen to the instructions of God? Moreover, we are also living by our fleshly desires instead of the "perfect" will of God.
He speaks on "false prophets" in the sense of financial gain instead pastors should be speaking to their flock for spiritual insight and being in God's perfect will. Is this the false prophets only mission--seek MONEY? There are also false prophets to seek out the lost, and even convince believers to turn from God as they did in ancient history such as Egyptians to make Israelites loose all faith and hope in the one and true God to set them free from bondage
In some passages, he should not only show reference from biblical scriptures, but explanation or experiences {examples} to those who are not familiar with them. This would make it an easier read. The primary focus is “witchcraft” and thinks another title would have been better for this concept. Yet, it was an easy read and finished the book within one hour or so.
He points out pastors and congregation is saturated with worldly views in watered-down preaching, not sound doctrine teaching. More importantly, if the prophets or preachers speak on controversial topics in the Bible, they will loose their populated-following and affect their substantial {six-figure plus} income.
The last couple of chapters, I can refer to the topics on “demons,” “Wicca,” and related subject areas since I touch on these topics briefly in my upcoming nonfiction book entitled “Unleashing the Spirit, Volume 1 and 2.”
Adrienna Turner
AAMBC Reviewer
Charles also gives a great example of King Saul who never gave his heart completely over to God. He was noted as a follower of God (knew of Him), but never surrendered his life over to God (his heart, mind, soul, and will (strength or might) over to God). Most of us fall into this category; remember half of the battle is to surrender all I/we have.
We are "Self-filled" people, who only want to do the will for self. It is hard for us to believe when someone speaks "God's will" in our life, as the author brilliantly illustrates in the first chapter with Saul. Do we listen to the instructions of God? Moreover, we are also living by our fleshly desires instead of the "perfect" will of God.
He speaks on "false prophets" in the sense of financial gain instead pastors should be speaking to their flock for spiritual insight and being in God's perfect will. Is this the false prophets only mission--seek MONEY? There are also false prophets to seek out the lost, and even convince believers to turn from God as they did in ancient history such as Egyptians to make Israelites loose all faith and hope in the one and true God to set them free from bondage
In some passages, he should not only show reference from biblical scriptures, but explanation or experiences {examples} to those who are not familiar with them. This would make it an easier read. The primary focus is “witchcraft” and thinks another title would have been better for this concept. Yet, it was an easy read and finished the book within one hour or so.
He points out pastors and congregation is saturated with worldly views in watered-down preaching, not sound doctrine teaching. More importantly, if the prophets or preachers speak on controversial topics in the Bible, they will loose their populated-following and affect their substantial {six-figure plus} income.
The last couple of chapters, I can refer to the topics on “demons,” “Wicca,” and related subject areas since I touch on these topics briefly in my upcoming nonfiction book entitled “Unleashing the Spirit, Volume 1 and 2.”
Adrienna Turner
AAMBC Reviewer
June 22, 2009
The author had a moving and dreadful experience of unloading dead bodies off the C-5/A air crafts, what a stench! In our spiritual walk, there are dead spirits of witchcraft, deceitfulness, and trusting every spirit instead of testing the spirits. Charles refers to them as the epidemic of "spiritually stupid saints", that the Bible calls them "lukewarm Christians" who want to be of the world and say they love Christ. They also do not study the Bible for themselves and willing to try every spirit {stating they are spiritual, not religious person}. Do we have the ability of discernment to test the spirits?
Charles also gives a great example of King Saul who never gave his heart completely over to God. He was noted as a follower of God (knew of Him), but never surrendered his life over to God (his heart, mind, soul, and will {strength or might} over to God). Most of us fall into this category, remember half of the battle is to surrender all I/we have.
We are "Self-filled" people, who only want to do the will for self. It is hard for us to believe when someone speaks "God's will" in our life, as the author brilliantly illustrates in the first chapter with Saul. Do we listen to the instructions of God? Moreover, we are also living by our fleshly desires instead of the "perfect" will of God.
He speaks on "false prophets" in the sense of financial gain instead of speaking to their flock for spiritual insight and being in God's perfect will. Is this the false prophets only mission--seek MONEY? There are also false prophets to seek out the lost, and even convince believers to turn from God as they did in ancient history such as Egyptians to make Israelites loose all faith and hope in the one and true God to set them free from bondage. {I am not a pastor, theologian, yet I am a person who studies, researches, and reads the Bible...God has me on a mission to write nonfiction spiritual books}
In some passages, he should not only show reference from biblical scriptures, but explanation or experiences {examples} to those who are not familiar with them. This would make it an easier read. The primary focus is "witchcraft" and think another title would have been better for this concept. Entitled: False Prophets Poison the Flock (too powerful) or False Prophets Witchcraft Exposed in God's House.
He points out pastors and congregation is saturated with worldly views in watered-down preaching, not sound doctrine teaching. More importantly, if the prophets or preachers speak on controversial topics in the Bible, they will loose their populated-following and affect their substantial {six-figure plus} income.
I briefly speak on demonic spirits, Wicca, witchcraft, and so forth in my upcoming book: Unleashing the Spirit, Volume 1 and 2.
Charles also gives a great example of King Saul who never gave his heart completely over to God. He was noted as a follower of God (knew of Him), but never surrendered his life over to God (his heart, mind, soul, and will {strength or might} over to God). Most of us fall into this category, remember half of the battle is to surrender all I/we have.
We are "Self-filled" people, who only want to do the will for self. It is hard for us to believe when someone speaks "God's will" in our life, as the author brilliantly illustrates in the first chapter with Saul. Do we listen to the instructions of God? Moreover, we are also living by our fleshly desires instead of the "perfect" will of God.
He speaks on "false prophets" in the sense of financial gain instead of speaking to their flock for spiritual insight and being in God's perfect will. Is this the false prophets only mission--seek MONEY? There are also false prophets to seek out the lost, and even convince believers to turn from God as they did in ancient history such as Egyptians to make Israelites loose all faith and hope in the one and true God to set them free from bondage. {I am not a pastor, theologian, yet I am a person who studies, researches, and reads the Bible...God has me on a mission to write nonfiction spiritual books}
In some passages, he should not only show reference from biblical scriptures, but explanation or experiences {examples} to those who are not familiar with them. This would make it an easier read. The primary focus is "witchcraft" and think another title would have been better for this concept. Entitled: False Prophets Poison the Flock (too powerful) or False Prophets Witchcraft Exposed in God's House.
He points out pastors and congregation is saturated with worldly views in watered-down preaching, not sound doctrine teaching. More importantly, if the prophets or preachers speak on controversial topics in the Bible, they will loose their populated-following and affect their substantial {six-figure plus} income.
I briefly speak on demonic spirits, Wicca, witchcraft, and so forth in my upcoming book: Unleashing the Spirit, Volume 1 and 2.
April 14, 2009
Everything you get in church is not from God.
July 8, 2009
Every Church leader and lay person alike should read this book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews