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Have Heart by Steve and Sarah Berger
Endorsements and Contacting the Endorsers
By Chris Lawson, July 14, 2020
View the Have Heart book endorsements at the bottom of this website page.
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:
“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.
Greg Laurie's response to me in 2012, regarding my telephone call to his secretary, when I was inquiring 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,
“Greg is not available for comments on that book.”
With that, I thanked her for her time and the telephone conversation ended.
The Rising Storm and A Clarion Call for Humility, Truth, and Repentance: Observations for Calvary Chapel Leaders
Chris Lawson video published on YouTube and Vimeo, April 26, 2016.
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTur68ks6XI
Watch on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/158996319
Please watch the entire video for context.
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 Spiritual Research Network 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.
- Calvary Chapel Alert - For Pastors and Leaders: Documenting the Progression of Compromise and Ecumenical Relations
- See also our older Spiritual Research Network archive.
Endorsements for Have Heart: Bridging the Gulf between Heaven and Earth by Steve and Sarah Berger
These endorsements are from the inside cover of Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth (June 1, 2010), published by Grace Chapel, Inc., Franklin, Tennessee. The endorsements shown below can also be viewed on Amazon.com at Have Heart. Click the links and scroll or click to these pages. Hardcover, pp. ii-iii and Kindle Version, Location 2 and 12. (Links accessed on August 1, 2025). Note also that Dr. Chuck Missler's endorsement was later removed from the Have Heart book edition ISBN-13: 978-1-936355-03-7.
“Steve and Sarah Berger show us how we can find light and life beyond death’s shadow by allowing God to carry us behind the ‘Why?’ to the ‘What are you going to do through this circumstance?’ No one ever wants to face the heartache this family has experienced, but the Bergers help us see up-close and personal the power of love and the beauty of life in God’s eternal presence.”
JAMES ROBISON
Founder and President, LIFE Outreach International
“Like Steve and Sarah, Nancy and I have a son in Heaven. It wasn’t until we looked at Heaven as the country that our son now inhabits that it yielded its truths to us in an undeniable way. This book illuminates the glorious truths about our future home with a life-changing force and a biblical depth that makes it a ‘must read’ for all who have made travel plans for Heaven.”
DR. CHUCK MISSLER
Founder, Koinonia Institute
“Framed within the most intimate of losses, this book allows its readers to peek into life-and-death perspectives of those who follow Jesus.”
WILLIAM PAUL YOUNG
Author of The New York Times Best Seller, The Shack
“The story of the life of Josiah Berger should be shared far and wide. From this most tragic accident, there came life. Josiah’s decision to donate his organs allowed 77 people to live longer, healthier, better lives. He is a hero to these 77 people, and he is a hero to society. As a heart transplant surgeon, I can attest that there is no better story to capture what was Josiah’s favorite phrase, ‘have heart.’”
SENATOR BILL FRIST, M.D.
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader
“Steve and Sarah Berger have faced the worst tragedy imaginable: the tragic death of their son, Josiah. There are no words to describe the pain and sense of loss a parent feels when they have lost a child. To say that your world changes forever is an understatement of epic proportions. I know, because our son also died. In fact, it was through our mutual loss that my wife and I became friends with the Bergers. In their new book, Have Heart, Steve and Sarah write candidly of what they have experienced. And yet, despite the very real pain they live with each and every day, this book bursts with hope.
“While no one ever gets over the death of a child, the Bergers are going through this experience with more than their faith intact. As you will read, their faith is deeper, their insights are more penetrating, and their hope is bright with the expectation of seeing their beloved son again. I trust this book will be a blessing to you.”
GREG LAURIE
Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship
Here also is Michael W. Smith's endorsement, which was located in a different publication about Have Heart. Michael W. Smith also endorsed Steve Berger's book, Between Heaven and Earth: Finding Hope, Courage, and Passion Through a Fresh Vision of Heaven.
“You are about to read an extraordinary story by my dear friends Steve and Sarah Berger. Their son, Josiah, went home to the Lord in 2009, with his life fully in front of him. In Have Heart, Steve and Sarah share how this homegoing drove them deeper into God’s Word where they found comfort and truth. The Scriptures became an anchor for their hearts as they mourned the passing of their son, and celebrated his eternal home and ongoing legacy.”
MICHAEL W. SMITH
Grammy Award-Winning and Multi Platinum-Selling Performing Artist
Note: In order to better format this article, additional subheadings were added and the Have Heart Endorsements were added in place of the PDF file. Links were also updated on August 1, 2025.
ARTICLES IN THIS HAVE HEART 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
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”
