Have Heart - Endorsements
Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth
Endorsements and Contacting the Endorsers
By Chris Lawson
July 14, 2020
July 14, 2020
| Have Heart-Endorsements-From-Inside-Book-Cover.pdf |
Steve Berger’s comments to me in 2012, regarding my questions to him about he and his wife's book Have Heart: bridging the gulf a between heaven and earth
In the year 2012 I telephoned Pastor Steve Berger (Grace Chapel, Franklin, TN) out of deep concern for him and his families spiritual well-being. According to Steve and Sarah Berger’s book, Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth (Grace Chapel Inc.; First Edition edition (August 10, 2010), the Berger’s claim that their deceased son Josiah has been trying to “minster” to them.
At the time I called Steve, I was a fellow pastor and missionary with Calvary Chapel. I was also somewhat of a friend from Steve’s past as I had attended his church for a short time twenty-plus years previous to 2012. When I phoned Steve, I mentioned to his church secretary that like Steve, I also was a Calvary Chapel pastor. I also mentioned to her that I knew Steve personally from when I had attended his church in Southern California. Even though Steve was just about to leave for a family vacation, he kindly took my call at the last minute.
When Steve got on the telephone with me, I reminded him how we knew each other from years previous, and he remembered. After talking briefly, I expressed my reason for calling him. I told him I was concerned about numerous statements he had written in his book, about how he and his family are receiving various “signs” from Josiah, their deceased son. Pastor Steve claims in his book—in several ways—that he and his family, and some in their church fellowship, have in various ways been received signs from “Josiah,” their beloved son who was killed in a car accident.
Whilst very carefully and very sensitively trying to address this issue, I told Steve that it was not his deceased son that was communicating with him and others, but rather, it was a demonic spirit that was masquerading as his deceased son Josiah.
I also explained to Steve that evil spirits do this in order to deceive people, including Christians. I also explained that God has in Scripture given a once-for-all blanket statement for-all-time, that condemns the practice of the living trying to communicate with the dead or trafficking with demons.
To my utter shock and dismay, my fellow Calvary Chapel pastor/friend—Steve Berger, at this point got quite frustrated. He boldly responded to me with these exact words which were heavily etched into my mind when he spoke them:
At the time I called Steve, I was a fellow pastor and missionary with Calvary Chapel. I was also somewhat of a friend from Steve’s past as I had attended his church for a short time twenty-plus years previous to 2012. When I phoned Steve, I mentioned to his church secretary that like Steve, I also was a Calvary Chapel pastor. I also mentioned to her that I knew Steve personally from when I had attended his church in Southern California. Even though Steve was just about to leave for a family vacation, he kindly took my call at the last minute.
When Steve got on the telephone with me, I reminded him how we knew each other from years previous, and he remembered. After talking briefly, I expressed my reason for calling him. I told him I was concerned about numerous statements he had written in his book, about how he and his family are receiving various “signs” from Josiah, their deceased son. Pastor Steve claims in his book—in several ways—that he and his family, and some in their church fellowship, have in various ways been received signs from “Josiah,” their beloved son who was killed in a car accident.
Whilst very carefully and very sensitively trying to address this issue, I told Steve that it was not his deceased son that was communicating with him and others, but rather, it was a demonic spirit that was masquerading as his deceased son Josiah.
I also explained to Steve that evil spirits do this in order to deceive people, including Christians. I also explained that God has in Scripture given a once-for-all blanket statement for-all-time, that condemns the practice of the living trying to communicate with the dead or trafficking with demons.
To my utter shock and dismay, my fellow Calvary Chapel pastor/friend—Steve Berger, at this point got quite frustrated. He boldly responded to me with these exact words which were heavily etched into my mind when he spoke them:
“God has made an exception at this time in history for the Berger family.
We are indeed in communication with our [deceased] son Josiah.”
At this point in the conversation things took a turn for the worse. Even though I tried my best to warn Steve that this was not his son communicating with him and his family, he simply refused to accept what I had to say. Our conversation on the phone ended soon after.
After I hung up the phone, in the minutes following our conversation, I sat very quietly in my home office chair. I remember sitting in utter disbelief at what Steve had said. Hot beams of sunlight were streaming through the large window next to my desk, and I was thinking about the dried-out cream colored Berber carpet, the fine unseen dust embedded into it, and the absolute deception that this man and his family had fallen for. Hidden dust in the carpet, hidden deception in the church.
As I sat there, I began to consider with deep grief the plight of the Calvary Chapel movement as the Berger’s book was not being publicly refuted by any Calvary Chapel pastors. Due to this and numerous other problematic trends within the Calvary Chapel movement, I eventually resigned altogether.
After I hung up the phone, in the minutes following our conversation, I sat very quietly in my home office chair. I remember sitting in utter disbelief at what Steve had said. Hot beams of sunlight were streaming through the large window next to my desk, and I was thinking about the dried-out cream colored Berber carpet, the fine unseen dust embedded into it, and the absolute deception that this man and his family had fallen for. Hidden dust in the carpet, hidden deception in the church.
As I sat there, I began to consider with deep grief the plight of the Calvary Chapel movement as the Berger’s book was not being publicly refuted by any Calvary Chapel pastors. Due to this and numerous other problematic trends within the Calvary Chapel movement, I eventually resigned altogether.
Greg Laurie's response to me in 2012, regarding my telephone call to his secretary, when I was enquiring about his endorsement of Steve and Sarah Berger's book, Have Heart: bridging the gulf a between heaven and earth
Out of concern for many Calvary Chapel pastors and the fellowships they oversee, and out of concern for all the people that attend Pastor Greg Laurie’s Harvest Christian Fellowship, and out of concern also for the many thousands of people whom Greg Laurie has influenced through his ministry, and books, and Harvest Crusades, I made a telephone call to Greg Laurie in 2012.
When Greg’s personal church secretary answered the telephone, I explained that I had been a fellow Calvary Chapel pastor for many years, and that I, many years previous, used to attend Greg Laurie’s Monday night church services, which were held at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, where Pastor Chuck Smith (1927–2013) was the pastor.
I explained to Greg’s secretary that I just had a quick question to ask him regarding his personal endorsement of Steve Berger’s book, Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth (Grace Chapel Inc.; First Edition edition (August 10, 2010.
Greg’s secretary asked if I would wait on hold, and so I did—for about 15 or 20 seconds. When the secretary came back onto the telephone, she simply said to me,
When Greg’s personal church secretary answered the telephone, I explained that I had been a fellow Calvary Chapel pastor for many years, and that I, many years previous, used to attend Greg Laurie’s Monday night church services, which were held at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, where Pastor Chuck Smith (1927–2013) was the pastor.
I explained to Greg’s secretary that I just had a quick question to ask him regarding his personal endorsement of Steve Berger’s book, Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth (Grace Chapel Inc.; First Edition edition (August 10, 2010.
Greg’s secretary asked if I would wait on hold, and so I did—for about 15 or 20 seconds. When the secretary came back onto the telephone, she simply said to me,
“Greg is not available for comments on that book.”
With that, I thanked her for her time and the telephone conversation ended.
ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES
- A Closer Look at Have Heart - bridging the gulf between heaven and earth (Steve and Sarah Berger, 2010)—Exposing The Deception of 'Christian' Clairaudience and Clairsentience
- Calvary Chapel Pastors Perspective Refutes Praying to the Dead—Yet Calvary Chapel Affiliate Pastor Steve Berger Encourages Praying (talking) to the Dead (Have Heart book and Have Heart website FAQ page)
- Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth—Endorsements and Contacting the Endorsers (Current page)
- Chuck Missler's Public Statement on Facebook Regarding His Personal Endorsement of Have Heart
- More Concerns About the Lack of Discernment Pertaining to Grace Chapel Leipers Fork and Steve Berger's Ministry
Video published on YouTube and Vimeo, April 26, 2016.
Watch on YouTube (SpiritualResearchNet)
The Rising Storm and A Clarion Call for Humility, Truth, and Repentance: Observations for Calvary Chapel Leaders
Watch on Vimeo (ChrisLawsonVimeoArchive)
The Rising Storm and A Clarion Call for Humility, Truth, and Repentance: Observations for Calvary Chapel Leaders
The Rising Storm and A Clarion Call for Humility, Truth, and Repentance: Observations for Calvary Chapel Leaders
Watch on Vimeo (ChrisLawsonVimeoArchive)
The Rising Storm and A Clarion Call for Humility, Truth, and Repentance: Observations for Calvary Chapel Leaders
Please watch the entire video for context.
These two links are active, however, they may take about 15-20 seconds to load with a high-speed connection.
- This video addresses concerns regarding church leadership compromises. Steve Berger and Greg Laurie and the Have Heart book and are mentioned in several places. Please note that this video takes into account all of the material mentioned on the Calvary Chapel Alert page, as well as close to 25 years of my personal observation in the Calvary Chapel movement. The Calvary Chapel Alert page is currently only on the Internet Archive because our former SRN website was either hacked and corrupted, or purposely corrupted by a website technician that worked for our former website hosting company. The Internet Archive link here is safe, as the Internet Archive page screenshots are merely pictures of the pages of our former website.
These two links are active, however, they may take about 15-20 seconds to load with a high-speed connection.