Is This False Teaching and Dangerous Ground?

[greatblue]

I came across this LINK today and I wanted to run for the alarm bell. Mark Batterson has a new book titled The Circle Maker that is a marketed as prayer-focused, but seemingly built on a Talmudic story of Honi. Obviously, the first thought that should jump out is...I don't remember Honi from the bible. He is reported as a 1BCE scholar/mystic/prayer man, depending where you source the info from.

What I can tell you is this. If you click on the trailer, you first see Batterson drawing a circle, standing in it and praying. I cringed and thought, "Uh, Jesus didn't circle himself in Gethsemane." In fact, apart of the walls of Jericho, I can't think of anything circle-related with God or prayer. Anyway, I do recall that praying in circles is a pagan practice that witch-types use even to this day. So, the next video clip on the link tells the story of Honi. The third clip shows the Book of Legends, where Batterson got the Honi story from. And by the end of this I've started to view a few reviews, like a USA today that makes me double cringe.

One from USA today and another from a site run by a GeorgePWood (proclaimed contrarian pastor)
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson: Book Review - USATODAY.com
Review of “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson GeorgePWood.com

So, I've prayed for guidance here because I could easily be casting judgement I have no right to make, but something about it makes me shake. I trust God in all things and hope He will instruct me if I have misread, or misled myself.

If you do have a few minutes, I would greatly appreciate other faithfuls who would ask for discernment and view. Am I seeing this wrong?

[CanadaNZ]

Originally Posted by greatblue

I came across this LINK today and I wanted to run for the alarm bell. Mark Batterson has a new book titled The Circle Maker that is a marketed as prayer-focused, but seemingly built on a Talmudic story of Honi. Obviously, the first thought that should jump out is...I don't remember Honi from the bible. He is reported as a 1BCE scholar/mystic/prayer man, depending where you source the info from.

What I can tell you is this. If you click on the trailer, you first see Batterson drawing a circle, standing in it and praying. I cringed and thought, "Uh, Jesus didn't circle himself in Gethsemane." In fact, apart of the walls of Jericho, I can't think of anything circle-related with God or prayer. Anyway, I do recall that praying in circles is a pagan practice that witch-types use even to this day. So, the next video clip on the link tells the story of Honi. The third clip shows the Book of Legends, where Batterson got the Honi story from. And by the end of this I've started to view a few reviews, like a USA today that makes me double cringe.

One from USA today and another from a site run by a GeorgePWood (proclaimed contrarian pastor)
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson: Book Review - USATODAY.com
Review of “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson GeorgePWood.com

So, I've prayed for guidance here because I could easily be casting judgement I have no right to make, but something about it makes me shake. I trust God in all things and hope He will instruct me if I have misread, or misled myself.

If you do have a few minutes, I would greatly appreciate other faithfuls who would ask for discernment and view. Am I seeing this wrong?

I would suggest that if you are cringing at the thought of this, that is probably the Holy Spirit telling you to avoid this. I can tell you that there is nothing in the bible about praying in circles and yes it does sound like a pagan ritual.

[wwjd_kilden]

Does indeed sound spooky

the bible warns us of both false prophets and false diciples, so we better keep our eyes open

[noahsmama]

In the exact same boat as you. My pastor whom I respect highly recommended this book. it didn't take me very long to get an odd feeling. After bringing up my concerns to my pastor I have treated like I am the one with the problem. christians are bring deceived and it is super scary.

[mpaper345]

If he is drawing a circle and standing in it praying,and the Bible does not teach us to do that,and Jesus did not teach us to do that,then there is no basis for him to do that,which shows you he is not a fundamentalist Christian.

He is part of the seeker church movement.

The seeker church movement seems to have made a church that appeals to everyone,from what I have read,and ignore the things in the Bible that are offensive.

The movement in reality has become a clearinghouse for all who believe in the basic goodness of man,for those who think all paths lead to God,for those who hold a theology that does not take the prophetic scriptures in any real literal sense,for those who do not know the scriptures,for those who pick and choose words of scripture out of context to make them say what they want them to say,and for those who think sins of the flesh are really just sickness and addictions.

Any visible differences between the Church and the world must be reduced to a minimum,and they try to appeal to all denominations to win them,so they kind of adapt to the world in a way to win them over,like what music they like,short prayers because they might get bored,etc.

They are using Market strategy methods to reach the lost,by surveying the lost to find out what makes them happy to go to Church.It is like they are allowing the lost to determine how the Church should be operated,and are growing fast,so what is the future of the Church if they cater to the world,and they have an input on how the Church should operate.

Mega-churches across the country have added bowling alleys, NBA regulation basketball courts with bleachers, exercise gyms and spas, locker rooms, auditoriums for concerts and dramatic productions, and Starbucks and McDonald’s franchises—all for the furtherance of the gospel. Or so it is claimed.

A large part of the evangelical church has developed a pleasure-laden, cruise ship mentality, but it will result in a spiritual Titanic. Seeker-friendly church pastors (and those tempted to climb aboard) need to get on their knees and read the words of Jesus to the church of the Laodiceans (Rev:3:14-21). They were “rich, and increased with goods,” yet failed to recognize that in God’s eyes, they were “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Jesus, standing outside their church, where they had unwittingly displaced Him, offers them His counsel , the truth of His Word, which alone will enable them to live their lives for His pleasure . There can be nothing better here on earth, and for all eternity.

People of other denominations will be drawn to that kind of Church,who will have this attitude to hear the word,how they want to hear the word,which reminds me of this scripture.

2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables(2 Timothy 4:2-4).


In a nation like America,that allows many worldly things,it is bound to happen,and if Israel was influenced to follow falsehood as a nation,America will too in the long run.


It is inevitable.

[greatblue]

Originally Posted by mpaper345

2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables(2 Timothy 4:2-4).

I think you've posted a very "telling" admonition here, thank you. So we have reason to be concerned, but is there something necessary on our part? I initially wanted to write a letter to Batterson, entirely con confrontational, but as an exploratory looking for his rationale for using a "legend" to write a book on prayer. Again, I keep going to Gethsemane and the Lord's prayer...Jesus taught us well. We need nothing else.

I've heard many sound teachers publicly rebuke others in the seeker movement and prosperity movement and I am hopeful we will like see an issuance of reproof with Batterson's book as well.

[See_KING_Truth]

Circles are symbols used in satanism and in satanic rituals...I recommend everybody avoid this book. Praying within a cirlcle is most definately of the occult.