How Cult Leaders Create Sermons: The Illusion of Divine Inspiration

John and Matt discuss growing up in Global Missions, a movement rooted in the Latter Rain revival, and how its doctrines of five-fold ministry, sonship, and prophetic authority shaped their lives. Matt shares what it was like to be born into this third-generation high-control group, his struggles with fear, dating, and suppressed critical thinking, and how he eventually found freedom through outside connections and careful study. Together, they explore how groups attempt to cover up their history, why reformation claims often fail, and how the same mechanisms of authoritarian control can appear in different denominations. The conversation also touches on William Branham's influence, British Israelism, the connection to Jim Jones, and the challenges of trusting God versus human leaders. This heartfelt dialogue offers encouragement to those leaving similar movements and highlights the importance of grounding faith in Christ rather than cult structures. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and Bob dive into one of the most complex and controversial topics of modern faith—Christian nationalism. They trace its deep roots from ancient divine-mandate kingdoms to the Holy Roman Empire, Nazi Germany, and today's New Apostolic Reformation. Along the way, they unpack how faith and politics became dangerously intertwined, forming what John calls "unholy alliances." The conversation moves through biblical history, the transformation Jesus taught, the American founding fathers' debates over faith and governance, and even parallels between Christian and Islamic nationalism. Through humor, candor, and historical insight, John and Bob challenge listeners to separate the kingdom of God from the kingdoms of men—and to rediscover the gospel's call to humility and transformation over dominance and control. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and Christian explore how music shaped the rise of Pentecostal and charismatic movements, tracing its influence from early tent revivals to modern worship concerts. They discuss the psychology of rhythm, the role of instruments like the organ in altering group dynamics, and the way leaders used music to heighten emotional responses during meetings. Drawing on personal stories, historical examples, and biblical references such as Paul's speech in Athens, they highlight how music can connect or divide people, inspire genuine worship, or be weaponized for manipulation. This conversation reveals that while music is often labeled "holy" or "evil," it is ultimately a powerful tool that reflects the intention behind its use. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and Chino discuss how ministers—especially in destructive or authoritarian movements—actually come up with their sermons. They trace the evolution of "God told me" preaching from early Pentecostalism through Hobart Freeman, William Branham, and the rise of the New Apostolic Reformation. The conversation explores how anger, narcissism, and audience manipulation fuel sermon creation, how topical preaching replaces real study, and how plagiarism, ghostwriting, and emotional theatrics masquerade as divine revelation. Together, they break down examples such as Billy Graham's "Thinking Man's Filter," William Branham's mathematical "chant," and Freeman's claims of prophetic dictation—revealing how these methods shaped entire movements and misled followers who thought they were hearing from God. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and Jed examine the shocking new Firefly report that brands Mike Bickle—a central figure in the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC)—a chronic sexual predator. They trace how unbiblical ideas of "holiness" and the so-called "Moses model" of leadership create fertile ground for abuse in Pentecostal and charismatic circles. Drawing connections from William Branham's theology to the modern New Apostolic Reformation, they explain how these movements elevate leaders beyond accountability, distort the fruits of the Spirit, and silence whistleblowers under the threat of "touch not God's anointed." Together they discuss IHOP's attempts to erase its past, the continuing danger of its theology, and the likelihood of a new "Joshua figure" rising to carry Bickle's mantle. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John invites Audrey Goff to discuss the hidden dangers of deliverance ministries and the tactics of spiritual abuse that often destroy families and marriages. Audrey shares her personal journey of being drawn into a cult that preached empowerment yet demanded submission, where leaders sowed division in homes, controlled followers through fear, and even plagiarized prophecies. Their conversation exposes how these ministries exploit vulnerability, confuse spiritual authority, and condition members to accept manipulation as divine guidance. They also explore historical parallels between deliverance practices and the Salem Witch Trials, showing how accusations of demonic possession or "witchcraft" have been recycled through history to isolate and control people. From mind control to remote manipulation, the discussion reveals how New Apostolic Reformation networks perpetuate these abuses on a larger scale, and why recognizing false authority and clinging to Christ alone is key to breaking free. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and Charles reflect on the destructive legacy of the Branham-inspired "Message" churches. They trace how the Laodicean-era claims and the cult-like control of leaders fostered division, hatred, and trauma for generations, especially among children raised inside. Through personal memories, tragic stories, and candid humor, they expose the harm done by indoctrination, failed prophecies, and harsh preachers—and point listeners to the hope and freedom found in Jesus beyond the cult. Their conversation highlights the need for compassion toward survivors, the danger of authoritarian religion, and the repetitive cycle of destructive movements that promise spiritual power but deliver only bondage. ______________________ Tracts: https://christiangospelchurch.org/tracts/ ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and John McKinnon expose the heart of William Branham's "seed doctrine," showing how Branham twisted the words of Genesis and John 1:1 to claim humans pre-existed as eternal "thoughts" of God and were merely manifested in the flesh. They explain how this teaching diminished the divinity of Christ, altered the meaning of salvation, and opened the door to the later Manifested Sons of God movement and the New Apostolic Reformation. Drawing on quotes from Branham's own sermons and early message ministers, they show how Branham's focus on supernatural signs, visions, and experiences replaced the authority of Scripture and contradicted Paul's gospel. This episode invites listeners to examine whether Branham's message was truly biblical or an imitation of the serpent's deception in Eden. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John and Chino explore the strange evolution of the "assurance versus insurance" doctrine that spread through William Branham's ministry and reached its peak under Hobart Freeman's Faith Assembly. Drawing connections between Psalm 91, Mark 16, and the Manifest Sons of God teaching, they reveal how a harmless Branham anecdote became a central tenet of Freeman's anti-insurance, faith-healing movement. Chino recalls hearing the sermon in 1974 and how Freeman's twisting of scripture led believers to reject medical help and financial protection, often with tragic results. John connects the theology back to Branham's healing revivals and its ties to testing God—through poison drinking, snake handling, and other extreme acts of "faith." The discussion exposes how cult leaders turn poetic Psalms into legalistic works systems, binding followers through slogans, repetition, and fear while redefining "trusting God" as rejecting all human wisdom. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org

John explores the disturbing evolution of "holiness" from its biblical meaning to the authoritarian distortion seen in Pentecostal and Apostolic movements today. Tracing the thread from Frank Sandford and John Alexander Dowie through Charles Fox Parham, William Seymour, Chuck Smith, and John Wimber, he exposes how the theology of holiness became linked to pride, hierarchy, and unquestioned leadership. Through this historical lens, John reveals how the New Apostolic Reformation's obsession with "apostolic authority" mirrors ancient Gnostic elitism—redefining holiness as group loyalty instead of Christlike transformation. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of why so many modern movements repeat the same pattern of control, abuse, and spiritual manipulation, and how true Christian holiness—rooted in humility and service—stands in stark contrast to the self-exalting "Moses models" that dominate today's revivalist culture. ______________________ Weaponized Religion: From Christian Identity to the NAR: Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1735160962 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCGGZX3K ______________________ - Support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/branham - Visit the website: https://william-branham.org