Jono Hall

I wrote a fairly lengthy article over the past few months reflecting on church structure and how some good desires related to the Gospel can get muddled in our minds, which ultimately conflicts with the way of Jesus. These are some fairly existential ponderings, but I would appreciate any feedback: drive.google.com/file/d/1F8KEYQ…

Before I got to IHOP I used to write about one worship song a week. Now by the craziness of AI I got my guitar out and strummed and sang a few of these songs that are about 25 years old into Suno - for sure it has some AI slop about it - but the melody and words are there with at least some arrangement. suno.com/s/zYkHOQlCwZT1…

I just got back from an AWS conference and surprise surprise AI is central to nearly all conversations. As a parent one of the big worries/challenges of our age is to know how to launch our kids correctly in an age when AI is eating white collar jobs for lunch. I feel this article goes someway to answering some of the issues we face.

@GodlyAction Washing is not necessary for living

Baptism is not required for salvation.

Much food for thought - specifically about the allegorical/symbolic hermeneutic - which lends itself very easily to a form of Charismatic Gnosticism. The interesting thing about the prophetic utterances is that often a prophetic utterance was kicked off by a “word of knowledge” which was confirmed by the recipient - let’s say the prophetic minister says three “reading your mail” facts then follows it up by more directive words - the reading your mail WAS the testing of the word. People were wowed so much by the beginning part that they couldn’t help but accept the second part. This does show a massive lack of discernment… and now we find out that data mining has been a common practice, but even if the word wasn’t data mined I’m not sure if knowing secret knowledge should be the evidence for effective discernment.

This is interesting take from John Piper in 1990 writing about his experience at The Holiness Unto The Lord Vineyard conference he attended with members of his Church. "And I saw three things that concern me and that I want to avoid: 1. The use of “prophetic utterances” (revelatory words from God) in a large worship setting with no provision for testing them (according to 1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 and 1 John 4:1), but instead an encouragement to affirm them immediately with praises without questioning. This not only gives too much authority to the prophecy but also gives too much prominence to the prophet. I sense that it also contributes to the neglect of the proper use of Scripture. Which leads to my second concern. 2. Misleading ways of handling Scripture. a) I detected throughout the plenary sessions and workshops and writings a tendency to base points on allegorization rather than on clear biblical teachings. For example, one speaker built his message around “the altar, the tent and the well” to teach on sacrifice, sojourning and intimacy. What this does is to create a vagueness that allows numerous references to contemporary movements which may in fact not have a foothold in actual biblical teaching. b) In addition to this there was the problem of using prophetic utterances to provide the clue for interpreting texts. c) And finally there was the apparent use of signs and wonders as the seal of truthfulness instead of the Berean approach of testing all things by Scripture (Acts 17:11). What's up Bethel 👋 🤔🙃 desiringgod.org/articles/the-c…

You actually can make up the fact that they were buried on the same day. They all died on different days and it was chosen that they be buried on 2/22. Seems entirely plausible if a propheticky type person dies in early Feb they and their followers will choose 2/22 for the funeral.

Here's James Goll at Paul Cain's Memorial Service in 2019. In the background are Wes and Stacey Campbell and in the audience is a who's who of the "Prophetic Movement" including Mike Bickle. Both James Goll and the Campbells knew about Shawn Bolz's issues. C-O-O-K-E-D

I have seen this also as one of the patterns of sexual immorality/misconduct. A leader still has a duty of care in such situations which means they have not only breached trust with their spouse but also with their congregation. I think for me this last season has been challenging in that I thought this pattern you described was the most prevalent - but I have discovered so many of the situations being exposed are out and out predation by the leader. This doesn’t mean there is not degrees of personal autonomy and responsibility (unless it is full on child abuse) but it has been heartbreaking to see not just weak men but wolves using spiritual authority for corrupt aims.

@matthewdlilley I have heard this wrongly (mafia based) defined loyalty spoken out loud in more private settings just not as blatantly from a platform. This definition of loyalty is almost atheistic - it has no fear of the Lord

@jonochall An unbiblical emphasis on "loyalty" seems to be a clear red flag for potentially abusive and/or narcissistic behavior. I've seen this in multiple places/leaders. But this guy in the video just says the quiet part out loud.

I’m thankful that Jesus is the one responsible for building his church. This man’s statement epitomizes a prevalent philosophy of leadership that is rarely vocalized but is almost entirely antithetical to the spirit of Jesus.

@WENDY_D_W Seems a bit more like an African Tribal Leader than a Shepherd in the Body of Christ. The enduring temptation of conforming to the pattern of the world.

@jonochall He has yelled at his sound crew mid service and on livestream telling them he pays them well. He was unhappy with the sound. He threatens anyone who speaks against him with lawsuits. There is so much more. So much is hidden. He walks with bodyguards. The list goes on.

@rickwood And God bless you too

@jonochall That’s just BS.

For many years I taught at IHOPU - not only media, but I taught a Church History Survey course for about 12 years as well as other subjects. In addition for many years I taught a survey entitled "Basic Christian Beliefs" - I include here two lecture notes from 2013 about the Church drive.google.com/file/d/1vXQXZH… drive.google.com/file/d/1b9AWeW… As with anything you wrote thirteen years ago as I peruse them now I see areas of changed thinking and some things I would add in today - I do include the requirements for being an overseer and a section on church discipline - I do not include bringing allegations against an elder. For many churches today regardless of denominational affiliation I would ask how in the ordination/hiring process or even ongoing leadership review they seek to be faithful to Paul's requirements for leadership (I did this once for a more well known leader at IHOP who was moving to Kansas City and I know I felt that it was NOT appreciated). I would also ask how you seek to be faithful to both the church discipline passages and also those related to bringing an allegation against an elder. I brought this up to the chairman of the board at IHOP in the past season - he said "bringing it before the church" did not mean bringing it before the whole world - he never said what "bringing it before the church" actually meant in his understanding - Mike Bickle had a theory of "keeping the circle small" - in retrospect I think that meant as small as possible so that no one knows about the sin and no one learns. If the processes of church discipline or entertaining an allegation against an elder have never happened in your church, I would now conclude there is actually (intentionally or not) a culture of cover up and I would ask questions of how you can be more faithful to the teaching of the New Testament on Church Governance.

@rofbethany @MikeWingerii The Monster God Debate??

@jonochall @MikeWingerii i was abused at IHOP partly for challenging him at your IHOP symposium...

Michael Brown once asked me on the phone if I really was the best person to bring exposure to some of these problems. I told him to tell me who the best person was and I would give them all my evidence and connect them with witnesses so they could do it. I would have actually been very happy to do that. He didn’t have anyone to suggest. There is no best person. This was just a line that’s used to talk people down.

I’m not…. I honestly think there are good people in many churches but the culture itself means they are forced to act in a certain way. I honestly balked at the term cover up initially. Bethel said it clearly that no one had any “intention” to cover up…. But they did. If we are to see change I actually don’t think it helps if you say everyone is bad and corrupt and the whole thing needs to burn. I don’t believe that and if you say those things I don’t believe you will get change. But “cover up culture” is actually a good descriptor of what is happening. I do think there are bad “corrupt” actors. But there are also people simply doing the best they know in the systems to which they have been acclimated to.

@jonochall You called it a culture of cover up. What’s that? You are trying to be cute and it backfired.

@DavidFish7 @MikeWingerii Ha - I think Allen still has nightmares over that. I guess it’s not very pleasant having half a million people told you are “Liars”….. I still haven’t started the documentary…. But I’ve been having thoughts

@jonochall @MikeWingerii Jono, at some point you have to stand up and say, "ENOUGH!"

@rbohlender @MikeWingerii There were a few times in these past years I put the phone on speaker phone so Shari could join me in the delightful experience.

@jonochall @MikeWingerii It really was a Herculean effort on his part. Thats hard work.

@Joel7Richardson @MikeWingerii He’d be the first one to trumpet it to the world??

@jonochall @MikeWingerii Still waiting for his promises to "go low" and be "an agent of healing" etc.

@MikeWingerii He did apologise the next day for getting angry and ask for forgiveness - which I gave. But these patterns of behaviour certainly have an effect on speaking out the next time.

@MikeWingerii I’m not sure if you know how long 45 mins is to be shouted at

@rickwood I don’t see the words corrupt or corruption anywhere in my quote

@jonochall I was just quoting what you wrote. So maybe it needs to be rewritten. Because you stated elders were corrupt of the church didn’t have an elder found guilty of corruption. Read the quote.