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Entertaining Deception

Thinking about the book, Entertaining Deception – The New Apostolic Reformation, Coming to a Calvary Chapel Near You

By David Guzik – Pastor, Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara

Introduction: Why Bother?

Last week (June 2017) I received a call from a brother on the Calvary Chapel Association council. He wanted to know if I knew anything about a book titled, Entertaining Deception: The New Apostolic Reformation Coming to a Calvary Chapel Near You, written by Dr. David Newton. He called me because in the book Dr. Newton states his prior connection with Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara as part of his biography.

I was surprised at the call, because I had not heard anything about this book up to that point. Dr. Newton had been a long-time member of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, up until about seven or eight months previous. At the time I learned of his book, Dr. Newton and his wife had just started again to attend Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara for the previous five Sundays.

I came to find out that that Dave Newton had written and self-published the book, and that he had mailed out copies of it to 300 Calvary Chapel pastors.

These unusual circumstances help explain why I am doing what I normally would not do. Normally, I wouldn’t address this. Yet since the author has had a long connection with our congregation, because he has used people in our congregation to promote and fund the book, and because he sent it to so many of my pastoral colleagues, I’m taking what is, for me, this unusual step.

Though, I must say – I’m not mentioned anywhere by name in the book. If Dave Newton had me or Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara in mind when he wrote certain passages – It isn’t known. He simply didn’t say in the book.

I think the fact that the book is not about me gives me a more objective perspective in speaking about it. This is not a Matthew 18 matter of personal offence.

In his introduction (on page 8), Newton wrote, “My intent is for this to be a provocative title – to provoke serious conversations and a detailed examination.” Here is my contribution to the conversation.

Looking at the Book the Right Way

When trying to understand anything like this, it is important to put the focus on the arguments, the ideas, and the accusations in the book and not on the author. This is true for anything we read, including this book.

If what Dr. Newton wrote is so true, so filled with insight, and so necessary for the church to hear, then it should be heard, apart from him personally.

Yet, if what he wrote isn’t true, or filled with insight, or isn’t needful for the church to hear, it doesn’t matter how good of a man he may be. We need to judge it for itself.

Three Good Things About the Book

  1. Dave Newton brings up something that we don’t talk a lot about in the Calvary Chapel world, and that is the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). It is something of concern, and something that pastors should know about.

In my view, there is a reason why we don’t talk much about NAR in Calvary Chapel circles – it’s because they don’t have much to do with us, and we don’t have much to do with them. Dave Newton strongly disagrees with this, and it’s a fair point to discuss. You could say that the whole idea behind the book is his belief that there has been deep and broad infiltration of the NAR into the Calvary Chapel family of churches. That’s why he made the second part of his title, The New Apostolic Reformation, Coming to a Calvary Chapel Near You.

Yet, it is good for pastors to have some knowledge of the NAR. Once they have that knowledge, I think each pastor can figure out for himself how he should (or should not) speak to his congregation about it.

  1. Dave Newton makes a really good book recommendation: A New Apostolic Reformation? A Biblical Response to a Worldwide Movement by Douglass Geivett and Holly Pivec. I read this book a few years ago and thought it was excellent. The authors did their homework and made, I believe, a fair analysis. In my estimation, it isn’t a hit job or a scare job.
  2. Some of the book is Dave Newton’s stating in his own words ideas from Chuck Smith’s book Calvary Chapel Distinctives and similar materials. You’ll find this in chapter 8. He also gives a brief description and analysis of the NAR movement (chapter 3), characteristics (chapter 4), and people (chapter 7).

I’ll add a fourth good thing. I believe Dr. Newton’s motive was good in writing this book. I don’t have any problem in seeing and saying that he means well. Yet we can’t judge the book by his motives for writing; it should stand or fall by its actual content and the case it makes.

The Worst Thing About the Book: Unfounded Accusations

Dr. David Newton’s book Entertaining Deception: The New Apostolic Reformation, Coming to a Calvary Chapel Near You has several serious problems, but in my estimation the worst one is that it makes serious charges and accusations that are simply unproven in the book. I don’t mean unproven by a little; I mean not even close to being proven at all. That is, virtually no evidence is given for many of the accusations.

This is a serious problem, because false accusations are a sin against God and man. You know the passages:

  • You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
  • Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. (Proverbs 10:18)
  • An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. (Proverbs 16:27)
  • You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness. (Exodus 23:1)
  • Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. (1 Timothy 5:19)

That last one is especially well known. 1 Timothy 5:19 means:

  • That accusations should not be believed just because they are made.
  • That this is especially true regarding church leaders, and by extension churches.
  • There must be multiple sources of evidence.
  • The evidence must be primary – by first hand witnesses, not just repeating the accusation of another.

So, it’s a serious thing to make an unfounded accusation. Yet since I quoted 1 Timothy 5:19, we shouldn’t forget the next verse, 1 Timothy 5:20: Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. If the accusations are given proper, fair evidence, then they should be taken seriously and made public.

What Are the Accusations?

At the heart of the book, I find three statements of basically the same accusation. At the start of the book, Newton wrote:

“Even more alarming are those leaders who are intentionally integrating this deception into their ministry areas of Calvary Chapel – not passive intrusion, but an active embracing of one or more unbiblical practices, deceptive teachings and false doctrines.” (Pages 10-11)

Note the accusations:

  • Leaders in Calvary Chapel
  • Are deliberately integrating the deceptions of the New Apostolic Reformation
  • Are actively embracing their unbiblical practices, deceptive teachings and false doctrines

That’s a big accusation. It’s the kind of thing that should be followed up with hard, documented, double-checked, two-witnesses, naming names kind of evidence. The evidence isn’t in the book.

A few pages later he wrote a similar statement:

“The last several years have seen a dramatic increase in the ways that false doctrines, deceptive worship, aberrant prayer, unbiblical counseling, weird practices, and ‘new’ directions from the New Apostolic Reformation have made their way into many Calvary Chapels – both here in the U.S. and in foreign countries. I have experienced it first-hand on many fronts.” (Page 13)

Again, note the accusations:

  • Newton claims a dramatic increase
  • He claims things that are deceptive, aberrant, unbiblical, weird
  • He claims Calvary Chapel churches receive direction from the New Apostolic Reformation
  • He claims this has come into many Calvary Chapels – both in the US and abroad

He follows with an example (on pages 13-14) – that has nothing to do with the accusation. Through the entire book there are not the names, places, events, data, or whatever to support such sweeping accusations.

The third example is found towards the end of the book:

“It is very troubling that the same issues and concerns are no longer isolated instances occurring at one, or just a few, Calvary Chapels. Instead, the full range of NAR deception is showing up at a LOT of Calvary Chapel churches.” (Page 170)

Once more, note the accusations:

  • Newton claims this has come not to one or just a few, but a to LOT of Calvary Chapels
  • He claims they have embraced the full range of NAR deception

It would be fair to ask: “He claims this has come to many (page 13) and a LOT (page 170) of Calvary Chapels, Just exactly how many does he mean?”

If there are 1,700 Calvary Chapel churches (page 8), then surely “a lot” means more than 1%. We should expect that this book documents evidence of at least 35 (about 2%) or 70 (about 4%) specific Calvary Chapels – both in the US and abroad – who have completely accepted the “full range of NAR deception.” This book does not document one single church that has done so.

This is a consistent pattern through the book. Big, strong, wide accusations are made – and not delivered on. If Dr. Newton does have evidence that dozens and dozens of Calvary Chapels have embraced the full range of NAR deception, he does not share that evidence in the book.

Since Dr. Newton uses the phrase “the full range of NAR deception,” it might be helpful to know exactly what he meant by “full range.” Newton told us this in chapter 4, giving a list of NAR deceptions.

Here are many from his list. As you read it, ask yourself: Are all of these deceptions in LOTS of the Calvary Chapels I know?

  • Tabernacle of David
  • Glory Cloud, Gold Dust
  • Angel Feathers
  • Diamonds and Jewels
  • Slain in the Spirit and Drunk in the Spirit
  • Toking the Ghost
  • Spiritual Re-Birthing
  • Holy Laughter
  • Spiritual Teleportation
  • Spiritual Fathering – Shepherding
  • Grave Soaking
  • Dream Interpretation
  • Tattoo and Piercing Interpretation
  • Empaths and Intuitives
  • Singing in the Spirit
  • Sozo Prayer and Centering Prayer
  • Lectio Divina
  • Kundalini Prayer
  • Spiritual Formation
  • Confess Your Demons

For the sake of truth, I challenge anyone who reads the book to provide evidence from the book:

  • That there are specific Calvary Chapel leaders that have intentionally (not passively or unintentionally) introduced NAR practices, and doctrines (as claimed on pages 10-11)
  • The documentation of specific names, places, churches, and times when Newton has experienced first-hand that many Calvary Chapels, both in the U.S. and internationally, have embraced false doctrines, deceptive worship, aberrant prayer, unbiblical counseling, weird practices, and new directions from the New Apostolic Reformation (as claimed on page 13)
  • That a LOT of Calvary Chapel churches have embraced “the full range of NAR deception” (as claimed on page 170)

From my reading, the evidence is not there. If it is and I missed it, you’ll do me a favor by pointing it out from the book.

A Real Problem

In my view – and really, this is just my opinion here – Dr. Newton’s book unconsciously takes advantage of the way we usually read books today. The general trend is to read a book for a feeling instead of reading it to really understand and evaluate what the book says.

So, the feeling from the book is clear: “Calvary Chapel is in crisis. There is a dangerous movement that has thoroughly infiltrated many Calvary Chapels. Pastors and leaders are blind to this and the alarm must be sounded.” That’s a scary feeling.

But if you carefully read Entertaining Deception and ask the question, “Does the author give adequate evidence for the claims and accusations he makes?” If you read it to understand and evaluate, not just to get a feeling – you’ll see that no evidence is given to support the feeling the book communicates.

In all fairness, maybe the evidence is out there. I don’t believe it to be so, but maybe – just maybe – the situation is far worse than Newton says it is. We will never know, because the book doesn’t give evidence for the claims and accusations it makes.

The Cost of False Accusations

Someone might think, “Big deal. So, some things were written and not everything was exactly backed up. It’s still true; I feel it to be true.”

May I take you back to 1 Timothy 5:19? It doesn’t say, do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three strong feelings. Now, your feelings may rightly lead you to say, “I don’t want to be involved” with something. There have been cases in my life where I believe the Holy Spirit gave me a feeling about something before it could be proven. That certainly can happen.

What should not happen is that no one should make a public accusation without evidence. No one should mail those accusations to 300 pastors without evidence. If they do, I believe they need to take responsibility for their unsupported or even false claims and accusations.

If accusations are false or have no evidence, then they have slandered a brother and helped to undermine his work among God’s people. What they wrote or said will likely cause people to trust a pastor or a church less. That can hinder God’s work in a significant way. If Satan can’t get a pastor to stop preaching God’s word, he will try to discredit the pastor – and sometimes that strategy is to work through unfounded accusations that are far too quickly received as fact.

A Second Bad Thing About the Book: Many Errors

When someone writes a book to challenge error, it is especially important that their own reporting be accurate. If someone cannot be trusted to be accurate about things that can easily be checked, it makes us know that the writer isn’t a good researcher. If their research is bad in several areas, it is probably bad in many others. Credibility is everything for the writer and researcher.

Simply put, there are many plain and simple errors in David Newton’s book, Entertaining Deception. I have no idea how many there are altogether, but here’s a list of ones discovered so far.

I’ll admit that these points are minor, and with one exception that I will write about later, they don’t make any real difference to the point Dave Newton is trying to make. What does matter is that these simple and relatively minor errors show he is not a careful researcher who checks and double-checks his facts.

If you use Google to search the phrase, “How He Loves,” the top response (as of this writing) is to a video of that song performed by the David Crowder Band. If you use Google to search the phrase “Shout to the Lord” the top response (as of this writing) is to a video of that song performed by Chris Tomlin. I wonder if, in many cases, the extent of research for this book was to Google a phrase and just look to the top response.

When going after the truth of a what a man or a ministry teaches, it isn’t enough to Google a few websites, get a few quotes from other people, and make your accusations. You need to do real research. Real research includes:

  • Not just happening to find what you were looking for to begin with.
  • Looking to primary sources, not just what people say second-hand.
  • Actually looking for evidence to the contrary.
  • As a Christian, it means that your conclusions must be charitable. If given the choice to think the best or think the worst, you need to think the best of your brother (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Research marked by thoroughness and integrity is expected in the academic world and required by those who achieve advanced degrees. In the heart and spirit of what we do, we should expect more and not less in the work of God’s kingdom.

A Third Bad Thing About the Book: Shepherding

Chapter 6 of Entertaining Deception is titled, “How Deception Enters In.” In that chapter, Dr. Newton gives six ways he thinks New Apostolic Reformation deception enters the church:

  • Worship Songs
  • Prayer
  • Books
  • Events
  • Web Content
  • Personal Relationships

This section of “Books” was, in my opinion, the strangest. Dave Newton is very concerned that we might sing a song from someone we don’t agree with, pray in an unapproved way, but especially that we might have a bad book. So, he lists 12 books that are [in his view] clearly bad. Then 13 more that are worse, because they might seem ok. The third category has the worst ones of all, a list of 10 books that are “the most deceptive.”

Newton writes of this last group of books: “These are the most deceptive, as many people at Calvary Chapels – even pastors, elders, and other leaders – have these on their personal bookshelves, and consult them.” (Page 108)

Did you get that? Pastor, if you have any of these books on your shelf you are deceived.

Let that sink in for a moment. You can’t be trusted to have that book on your shelf, much less read it.

Apparently the power of these books is so great that a pastor shouldn’t read them, even if it were just to figure out what these groups are saying. The watchdog can be trusted to read them; apparently he is immune to their spiritual deception.

But not you; you better leave the reading to the watchdogs. From 1559 to 1948 the Roman Catholic Church had an Index of Forbidden Books. Perhaps the practice is being revived today. Instead of teaching people the truth and trusting that they and the Holy Spirit in them will give them discernment, we have to tell them what they can and can’t read.

I have to say that I find that kind of desire to control other brothers and sisters in Christ disturbing. I’m all for brothers and sisters encouraging one another and exhorting each other to greater holiness and faithfulness. I’m definitely against lists that tell brothers and sisters what they can and can’t sing, read, or even the people they can be friends with. Sometimes troubled people are the one who most need our friendship in Jesus’ name.

A Great Question Brought Up by the Book: Do Sources Disqualify?

One thing any book should do is stimulate thinking – not only feeling, but also thinking. Dave Newton’s book made me think about an issue that needs to be discussed. Here’s the question:

As Christians, should we judge things for what they are in themselves, or should we judge them by their source?

Chapter 6 brought this issue to mind. Newton wrote about what songs we should sing, prayers we should pray, and the books we should read.

  • Should I only sing a song if it comes from a source I completely agree with?
  • Should I only pray a prayer if it comes from a source I completely agree with?
  • Should I only read a book if it comes from a source I completely agree with?

I think we have a Biblical precedent for saying that we do have permission to quote from others, or use their songs, or their materials, without having to agree with all their theology or practice.

In the sermon recorded in Acts 17:28, Paul quoted two pagan philosophers

  • Paul quoted Epimenides the Cretan [600 b.c.]: For in Him we live and move and have our being.
  • Paul quoted Aratus [310 b.c.]: For we are also His offspring.
  • Paul later quoted Epimenides again in Titus 1:12: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.

Later Jude quoted the Book of Enoch (Jude 1:14-15). It doesn’t mean that the Book of Enoch belongs in our Bible; not everything in there is inspired Scripture. But it does mean that Jude, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit found that particular line helpful and he used it.

The principle I draw from this is simple: the Christian pastor and preacher has the liberty to use a source that he doesn’t completely agree with. If I quote C.S. Lewis, it doesn’t mean that I agree with all his theology (which I don’t). If I quote Charles Spurgeon (which I do a lot) it doesn’t mean that I agree with all his theology.

I also apply this principle to worship songs. For whatever reason, for the last 40 years, it seems that lots of good worship songs have come from Christian movements that are not as Biblically rooted as we, in the Calvary Chapel family, would wish. I think of Vineyard, Hillsong, and Bethel as examples. There are some who say, “Those movements are not Biblically rooted and we won’t use any songs that come from them.”

Now, if any pastor has that conviction for his congregation, I would absolutely support him in his conviction. That’s fine. The only problem is when we start making it a law, and we judge others who don’t have the same conviction.

If a pastor told me, “David, I feel it’s wrong for us to use songs from Bethel and I’ve got a guy in our church demanding that we use their songs,” here is how I would reply. “Pastor, stand by your convictions. You feel that the Holy Spirit has spoken to you for your congregation, and you have the right to those convictions.”

When it comes to music, it can get complicated. Do you know that old hymn, It is Well With My Soul? It’s a great, classic song. The story behind it is amazing. A man named Horatio Spafford wrote it after learning that several of his children had died when their ship crossing the Atlantic went down.

Here’s what you probably don’t know: Horatio Spafford was a criminal, a crook, and a kook. His family was on their way across the Atlantic because he was fleeing the law after cheating investors for years and years. He took their investment money, used it for himself, lied like crazy, and had to run from the law when it was all found out. They were on their way to the Holy Land and his wife and children took a ship that left before him – the ship that sank. When they got there, they started this weird, cult-like community they called the American Colony in Jerusalem, which was highly legalistic, prophetically crazy, and sometimes very permissive about sex and other times prohibiting sex. You can read all about it in the book American Priestess by Jane Fletcher Geniesse.

Now, in my mind that doesn’t mean that you can never sing It Is Well With My Soul again. It’s a good song! Sometimes God allows good things to come forth from some very flawed or just plain goofy people.

Please understand me: I’m not contesting a pastor’s right to say, “We’re not going to use that song” or “We’re not going to use that Bible study” or “I’m not going to quote from that source.” Pastor, you have that right. I just contest the idea that this must be a universal law among pastors and preachers who love the Lord.

My own view is that it is better to trust my ministry leaders, better to make the occasional correction, better to right the occasional wrong. All of that is better than surrendering my pastoral authority to self appointed men or women who act as some kind of bishops or apostles or watch dogs over me.

Can you imagine? Having to run every decision by a self-appointed watchdog in your church? Now, every church should have accountability. Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara has ordained pastors and a godly elder board. There are appointed watchdogs; we don’t need the self-appointed ones. At the end of this article I will describe what I think a pastor should do about self-appointed watchdogs or critics.

An important Example

Without intending to, Dr. Newton gives a remarkable example of how difficult it may be to judge a song by its source.

As previously mentioned, Newton gave an example of what he considers to be a terrible song, one that ushers in the New Apostolic Reformation (on page 102). The song is “How He Loves,” and he cites the lyrics of the song by David Crowder.

You may like that song, or not like it – that’s up to you. But the funny thing about it is that, despite Dr. Newton’s citation, David Crowder did not write that song – John Mark McMillan did.

On the very next page of the book there is a far worse case. Dr. Newton quoted the lyrics of the song Shout to the Lord and praised them as “sound doctrine from clear Biblical truths about the Lord’s eternal nature and His attributes” (page 103). Newton attributed the authorship of the song to Chris Tomlin. But Chris Tomlin didn’t write this song, Darlene Zschech of Hillsong was the songwriter.

That’s a problem for the book, because Hillsong is one of the groups Dr. Newton claims should be avoided because of their ties to the NAR. On page 117 he wrote that Hillsong music “does not present the true gospel of Jesus Christ” and said their songs present “close-to-Christian lyrics.”

So, on page 103 a song from Hillsong is praised for its “sound doctrine from clear Biblical truths about the Lord’s eternal nature and His attributes.” He wrote that apparently thinking it came from another source. Now that the source is known, is the song suddenly wicked? Does it now carry the NAR virus that will infect good churches?

I guess this whole practice of judging a song on where it comes from is more difficult that it seems.

Predicting the Future

Dr. Newton is rightfully suspicious of those who prophesy and expect to be taken seriously. Yet he does his own predicting of the future. He does this in Chapter 10 – Potential Directions Still to Come. In this chapter, Dave Newton speculates on what is to come in the Calvary Chapel world.

When he gets down to predicting the future. Newton (on pages 167-169) says that it is likely (using the word “likely” in this context on page 168), that Brian Brodersen will:

  1. Formally cooperate with kingdom-now dominionist groups
  2. Hold worship conferences with Bethel and Hillsong
  3. Do evangelism with NAR apostles and prophets
  4. Write books with NAR personalities
  5. Establish women as pastors and regular Sunday pulpit preachers at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa
  6. Make new alliances with NAR groups
  7. Sue all non-CGN churches over the name “Calvary Chapel”

These are strange and speculative predictions. Yet the reader is supposed to make a judgment, a spiritual evaluation of a man and his ministry, based on predictions of things that haven’t happened.

To be truthful, the only person Dave Newton singles out by name to accuse is Brian Brodersen. Maybe he seemed like an easy target.

Some Calvary Chapel pastors I know have been blessed by Brian and his ministry; others don’t care for him much. But I think we can agree on this: every man deserves to be judged by what is true. So, find out what is true.

  • If you think Brian Brodersen has stopped teaching verse-by-verse through the Bible, starting at Genesis and continuing on, then go to his church website and find out.
  • If you think Brian Brodersen is teaching the doctrines of the New Apostolic Reformation, listen to his teaching and figure it out.
  • If Dave Newton’s book teaches us anything, it is that it’s easy to make big accusations that are empty of evidence.

A Pastor’s Responsibility

What should a pastor do when warnings, accusations, or criticism come his way? I think there are three important principles that I like to speak to myself, to other pastors, and to ministry leaders.

  1. Respectfully listen to your critics or watchdogs that come to you. Be gracious to them. Hear what they are saying. It’s a bad thing if people feel you will never listen to their concerns or criticism. “Shut up” isn’t the right response.

Please remember, this doesn’t mean that you have to read every book you receive or go to every website people tell you to go to. If you get a book in the mail and are not interested, don’t feel guilty about tossing it. We all have lots to do without reading every book or checking out every website that comes to us without our asking.

What I am really speaking of are the people in your congregation, people that you may have some pastoral responsibility over. Unless someone has proven themselves persistently wrong and an unwarranted investment of time, listen.

  1. Remember that God can speak through messed up people. When the watchdog or critic starts pushing your buttons, making you angry or frustrated, God may still have something to say to you in it. Take it to God in prayer. Be like Hezekiah and spread out the letter before the Lord (2 Kings 19:14).
  2. Refuse to yield your pastoral authority to watchdogs and critics. Do not give in to self-appointed bishops or apostles who think they have authority over you. Wherever God shows you the watchdog or critic may be right, then respond and do so in humility. But never give into those, who even with good motives, want to pressure you into their direction, not what you earnestly believe God’s will to be.

They will say you don’t have discernment. Pastor, don’t buy it. Dive deep into God’s word and seek Him diligently in prayer. You’ve got plenty of discernment, but others may not like it.

Conclusion

At the end of it all, though Entertaining Deception makes some good points and was no doubt written with good intention, its weaknesses outweigh its strengths. Its unproven accusations, many errors, and intrusion into both a pastor’s authority and the believer’s liberty should be taken seriously.

May God give us the grace before Him and one another to do what we often wanted to:

Calvary Chapel has been formed as a fellowship of believers in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are not a denominational church, nor are we opposed to denominations as such, only their over-emphasis of doctrinal differences that have led to the division of the body of Christ.

We Believe that the only true basis of Christian fellowship is His (Agape) love, which is greater than any differences we possess and without which we have no right to claim ourselves Christians.

We Believe worship of God should be Spiritual. Therefore: We remain flexible and yielded to the Holy Spirit to direct our worship.

We Believe worship of God should be Inspirational. Therefore: We give a great place to music in our worship.

We Believe worship of God should be Intelligent. Therefore: Our services are designed with great emphasis upon teaching of the Word of God that He might instruct us how He should be worshiped.

We Believe worship of God is Fruitful. Therefore: We look for His Love in our lives as the supreme manifestation that we have truly been worshiping Him

I don’t find that classic statement of intent and vision, which many years ago was found on the back of weekly bulletins at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and many others, to be the same tone and heart as I find in Entertaining Deception.

Yet hopefully, the heart expressed in that old writing states some of the things that help define us in the present and will guide us into the future.