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HAVE HEART: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth
The Bible and biblical discernment ministries refute Steve and Sarah Berger's teachings
by Chris Lawson
Updated August 6, 2025
The following resources below the Have Heart book cover and citations will help you understand why so many people have expressed concerns over Steve and Sarah Berger's teachings.
A number of the Berger's teachings in their book imply that our deceased loved ones are hovering all around us, that they are on "missions trips" to earth from heaven, and that they can see and be involved in our activities and minister to us. Steve Berger has also said in one of his sermons (see video link; last citation below) that "[W]e’re surrounded by the saints who have gone before us, and however God chooses to use them to encourage us, you know we ought to be open to it." "We ought to be open to it"—our deceased loves ones (though dead, yet alive saints) visiting us?
Neither Jesus, nor the apostles, nor the New Testament epistles, nor the Book of Acts, nor the Book of Revelation instruct Christians to "be open" to contact from departed loved ones. The Bible condemns communicating with the deceased (necromancy) and every avenue, form, and method that humans engage with it. Here you can view Bible verses related to Necromancy from the King James Version (KJV), by Relevance.
Steve and Sarah Berger published Have Heart through their former church, Grace Chapel, Inc. (June 1, 2010). Since that time numerous people tried to confront Steve and Sarah Berger about the content of their book. The book cover front endorsement is by James Robison, who was unaware of his very own endorsement on the book cover. I contacted both James Robison himself as well as his son Randy Robison and neither one of them had any clue as to how James Robison's endorsement got on the front cover of Steve and Sarah's book. The endorsements on the inside cover of Have Heart are by James Robison, Dr. Chuck Missler, William Paul Young, Senator Bill Frist, M.D., Greg Laurie.
"Only two weeks after Josiah went to Heaven, I (Sarah) made it a habit to talk to Josiah...I would then be in instant conversation with Jesus and Siah [Josiah]" (Have Heart, Grace Chapel, Inc., 2010, p. 82)
"[O]ur departed loved ones are alive, active, and aware. . . . they are aware of times that we need special encouragement." (Have Heart, p. 98, 100)
"It wasn’t like he just appeared there. It was a sense of him coming into the aisle, and he got down on one knee and bent into my ear. He said, “Way worth it, Mr. Jim.” Then, as quickly as he came, he left. It wasn’t that he disappeared; rather, it was a sense of him leaving the sanctuary....He had a sense of speed about him, not that he was hurried, but as if life on earth was much slower than in Heaven—it’s a different place, a different plane. I stood up and went over to my wife and told her, “Josiah was just here.” (Have Heart, p. 99-100.)
"Our meetings with Josiah [deceased son] have been..." (Have Heart, p. 101.)
"[W]e’re surrounded by the saints who have gone before us, and however God chooses to use them to encourage us, you know we ought to be open to it."
(The source for the last citation above is from a video by Steve Berger titled “Heaven: What’s Going on up There?”, August 16, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4HN18vYiNY, mm. 2:19-3:24.)
Warnings about Pastor Steve Berger's Mediumship Practices
June 8, 2023
Chris Lawson Interview with Doreen Virtue, former psychic medium.
YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzy1Q1TZImM
Interview about Dangers of Necromancy in the Church
Battling Counterfeits - Stand Up For The Truth (Video Podcast), Stand Up for The Truth w/Mary Danielsen and Chris Lawson. Discussion on the Dangers of Necromancy in the Church (starts at Minute 31:00). Audio includes information about Steve Berger (sound bites), Promise Keepers, and more.
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 (Read article with multiple updates)
Calvary Chapel Pastors Perspective Refutes Praying to the Dead—Yet Calvary Chapel Affiliate Pastor Steve Berger Encourages Talking to the Dead (Read article)
Have Heart: bridging the gulf between heaven and earth—Endorsements and Contacting the Endorsers (Read article)
Chuck Missler's Public Statement on Facebook Regarding His Personal Endorsement of Have Heart (Read article)
More Concerns About the Lack of Discernment Pertaining to Grace Chapel Leipers Fork and Steve Berger's Ministry (Read article and see inventory samples of the former Grace Chapel bookstore)
Promise Keepers and Steve Berger
Promise Keepers and Necromancy: Warnings Unheeded! (SRN webpage, videos, and multiple updates)
PROMISE KEEPERS, STEVE BERGER, And The Dangerous Implication of Ignoring Necromancy In The Church (Booklet by SRN Publishing)
Publications addressing Steve and Sarah Berger's teachings
The Titanic and Today's Church - A Tale of Two Shipwrecks (Book by Warren B. Smith) Chapter 1 includes information about Steve Berger.
Dean Men Talking—Necromancy in Today's Church (Booklet by Warren B. Smith)
“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.”
